“DEVOTEE”
BY TILLY (SHE/HER)
@1tils0
ARTIST BIO:
“I’m Tilly, I’m 21, originally from Manchester but currently living in Glasgow! I’m an English Literature student and I love all things writing and creating! I’m super into expressing myself through language and words which is one of the many reasons I love to write little poems, journals or think pieces on anything and everything!
I think that language is so beautiful and offers the ability to describe things beyond our comprehension and it has always helped me to voice feelings I didn’t even know existed! I also create watercolour pieces and I love all things art and collage!
My Queerness and roots in Manchester have always been a big influence and inspiration on my works with my Lesbianism always pushing me to try and be a little outside of the norm, to express how I feel and to create a legacy for myself to remember all of the changes and experiences I’ve been through! My Lesbianism and my art work hand in hand with my Queerness going into everything I do and my art expressing a widely unseen and unchartered lesbian world! I think it’s super important to showcase lesbian history through art made by lesbians rather than the script being written about us!”
Devotee
be wild, my love, teeth in flesh.
that canine urge to puncture all and eat it whole.
your knees are reddened, imprints fading,
at the alter of whose chapel are you singing?
be only a worshiper of this world,
come bind your offerings to navel moorings.
feel a sea breeze, a low moon, a graceful hand,
all crying out to you, down below.
natures daughter wipes her nectar from your mouth,
prepped and ready for perfect slaughter.
take it all, go, devour, and ravage.
eat it whole and be my saviour.
Tell us a bit about the piece you're submitting! (Why did you write it, inspiration, why it's important etc.):
“Without being crude the piece is about lesbian sex.
I wanted to write a piece that showcased both a tender and more primal and exposing side of lesbian sexuality. I used common religious and worship related metaphors to kind of subvert their typical use and also to indicate how powerful and passionate lesbian sexuality can be - almost like an act of worship to one another… The piece really wants to showcase a primal force rather than infantilising or cottage-coreifying lesbian sexuality which I feel is really detrimental to many young lesbians and their understanding of lesbian sexuality and relationships.
I wanted the piece to feel real and raw rather than a perfect, sanitised version of lesbianism - with my girlfriend as always being my biggest inspiration.”
Tell us about your relationship between your art and identifying as a lesbian:
“My art and my lesbianism are quite literally mutually exclusive.
If I wasn’t a lesbian I genuinely believe this gift of understanding and observation being able to be transformed into words wouldn’t exist.
My lesbianism has allowed me to showcase such raw and tender moments through art but also to subvert what we see as the typical and ‘standard’ and do things like paint my girlfriend and I as a knight and a princess - because lesbians deserve the medieval paintings too!! Lesbianism has been the biggest gift to my creativity and has pushed me to take a leap in all aspects of my life.
I LOVE LESBIANS AND I LOVE WORDS.”
