“But nobody measures up to Matt, that’s the problem.” Volcano was with Wurm for 14 years, and although their wedding was Volcano’s third, it was the only time they had married “for love.” Their first two marriages, in 1982 and 1995, were to cis gay men—the second one, to Johnny Volcano, was mainly to get a cool last name.
For now, though, anything more than an “out-of-country fling” would probably get in the way of Volcano’s ambition. They eventually want to write a memoir, but before it can be published, “some people need to die, some people need to grow up, and some statutes of limitations need to have expired.” Until then, they’re focused on building what they call their Queer Archive of Resistance. The ultimate dream is to own a compound somewhere “where at least 10 people can come and stay, to research, study,” and explore the artist’s back catalog. “I will have old and young, queer and non-queer alike coming to visit me in Sweden,” they describe. “I will be telling my stories and showing my pictures and cooking for people, having interesting conversations. That’s the best case scenario.”
Del LaGrace Volcano is at Auto Italia, London, from 17 July to 25 October.
Del LaGrace Volcano: Love Bites Back is at the Edinburgh Art Festival, 19–30 August.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the theme The world wasnt ready for me and Del LaGrace Volcanos work
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Who is Del LaGrace Volcano
Del LaGrace Volcano is a photographer and artist known for documenting queer trans and gendernonconforming communities especially in the 1980s and 1990s
2 What does The world wasnt ready for me mean
It refers to how Volcanos bold unapologetic images of queer sexuality and gender diversity were considered shocking or taboo at the time but are now seen as groundbreaking
3 Why did Volcano photograph SM scenes and lesbians in leather
To show that these were powerful consensual expressions of identity and desire not something to be hidden or ashamed of Volcano wanted to normalize and celebrate these communities
4 What is a drag king selfportrait
Its a photo where Volcano presents themselves as a masculine persona challenging traditional ideas of gender Its a way of saying that gender is a performance anyone can try
5 Was this work controversial
Yes In the 1980s and 1990s mainstream society and even parts of the gay community found images of SM leather and genderbending too extreme Many galleries wouldnt show them
IntermediateLevel Questions
6 How did Volcanos photography challenge the cisgender gaze
Volcano deliberately photographed subjects who were in control of their own image often looking directly at the camera This forced viewers to see them as powerful subjects not objects of curiosity or pity
7 Whats the difference between a drag king and a trans man in Volcanos work
Volcano blurred these lines A drag king performs masculinity temporarily while a trans man lives as male Volcanos selfportraits often explore the space between showing that identity can be fluid
8 Why is the phrase the world wasnt ready for me still relevant today
It highlights how queer and trans visibility is still a struggle Even now images of nontraditional gender expression or BDSM can face censorship on social media or in public spaces
9 What was the lesbian in leather movement about
It was a subculture where lesbians
