Date of Award

5-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art

Department

Art

First Reader/Committee Chair

Brad Spence

Abstract

Bigfoot has become an important motif for Frankie Gutierrez, especially since his transition in 2021. The characters in this exhibition showcase the deeply personal exploration of transness and non-mainstream trans identities, the in-depth observations of others, and their interactions with transgender people. He compares transness to the likeness of bigfoot, typically an elusive and hard-to-find character that everyone suspects, but has rarely been seen. Evidence of their existence surrounds us, but only those with open minds can truly see them. The characters in this show look like you and me, and no one at all. This exhibition is not meant for our consumption but for the forgotten-about and rarely-seen bigfoots of the world.

Things That Are Long showcases the Master of Fine Art in Studio Art thesis exhibition of Frankie Gutierrez, a California State University, San Bernardino graduate student. Named after their latest illustrated picture book, THINGS THAT ARE LONG a book of long things, Frankie plays with queer aesthetics, food comparisons to the body, and illustrates trans bodies in new and hairier ways. Drawing from personal experience and the broader discussion of transness, Frankie explores his own transition, and the non-mainstream trans identities through illustrations, prints, large scale murals, and short animated films.

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