Stephanie Mercedes’ I hold you close unfolds as a haunting exploration of queer identity, resilience, and the embodied experience of vulnerability in a society that often views difference with suspicion, if not hostility. Constructed from melted weapons reformed into steel forms, these works are lit with stark floodlights and animated by sound and motorized elements, immersing viewers in a charged atmosphere that mirrors the intensity of queer existence within a violent world.
Mercedes transforms tools of harm into symbols of strength, drawing from a personal archive of queer love, loss, and the precarious beauty that emerges from standing one’s ground in the face of adversity. Vulnerability, in this context, is reimagined not as a fragile state but as an active stance—a weapon in itself. By inviting viewers into a space that holds vulnerability and resilience in equal measure, I hold you close pushes against binary notions of power and softness, showcasing the courage inherent in being seen and the strength required to love openly.
This installation serves as both a memorial and a celebration of queer resilience, challenging the viewer to reflect on the ways society measures strength and the transformative potential of embracing vulnerability as a radical, defiant act.
