These two collages start with images from 1899. Two men in straw boater hats stand on a racecourse lawn, with a woman between them. A grandstand full of spectators sits behind them. It follows the usual format: boy, girl; boy, girl.
Then the woman steps out while the two men stay to meet up with some new friends. In the space between them, men from 2026 appear. One pulls his shirt over his head to wear even less. Another takes a phone call, or is it a mirror selfie? The Blue moon and Jupiter 3 witness it all.
The new seating arrangement: boy, boy; boy, boy.
The result is the same image, queered. Like squared, but queered.
The clothing shows 127 years of change. In 1899, the men are fashionably dressed in high collars, waistcoats, jackets, ties and straw hats. In 2026, the men leisurely don tank tops, shorts and briefs, or nothing above the waist at all. In 1899 they carry canes and pipes. In 2026 they carry phones.
The original images had room for one story. Now they have room for another.
— Behan
