Domina

Domina (2022)

Domina (2022) is a photographic series that narrates the relationship between a mother and their gender fluid child. Domina draws from lived experiences – events from Kleine’s life and the broader community have been re-contextualised into a fictional story. Domina speaks to the cultural contexts that have informed Kleine’s gender identity and that of others. This includes the Filipino diaspora in a predominantly white Australian community.

Domina also has a more abstract – or symbolic – reading. Light, costume, art history, and the natural environment have been harnessed to enrich the story. Kleine developed a colour code to express the project’s themes – blue, red, yellow, green and white are frequently employed to discern certain characters and themes. Moreover, Kleine’s dual performance as mother and child evokes a fluidity that Kleine and others experience with identity.

Domina was exhibited with Logan Art Gallery at the Logan Art Gallery Pop Up from 29 July – 3 September 2022. The project was awarded a grant for developmental purposes from the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF). Act I of the series was acquired for the Logan Art Collection.