Graduated from the MA in Photography at ECAL in June 2022, Mahalia Giotto aka Taje (they/them, 1992) is a visual artist based in Lausanne. After studying International Relations, they turned to photography in 2017. Drawn to androgyny from a very young age, watching anime such as Lady Oscar or Ranma, they came out as trans and chose to identify as non-binary in their late twenties. Their work revolves mostly around gender, sexualities and desires, challenging the binary norms of our patriarchal system. They're also part of Oil Productions, a collective for alternative porn productions and a DJ.
Series
photoSCHWEIZ 2023
10 images
A book and an installation about obsessions around gender identity, sexualities, desires and romance. A way to finally feel aligned with one’s past selves and the self of now. A way to give back something to my community. And also, a hope that this can bring some representation of LGBT people. For those who are questioning themselves, a testimony of our existence. I’ve always been closely monitoring the changes in my body, or at least tried to have some control over it. From drawing on it as a child, to eating disorders, tattoos and heavy workouts, without being aware of this obsession. It’s only after coming out as trans that I could understand these patterns that I had and how they make sense to me now. This project was a way for me to embrace all these parts of me. A way to celebrate trans lives, and a way to live peacefully outside the norms of our system and its binary structures.
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