(Left) Ria Brodell. Captain Wright c. 1834 England from the series Butch Heroes, 2016. Gouache on paper. 10 in. x 5 1/2 in. (25.4 cm x 14 cm). Gift of Louis Wiley, Jr. 2017.61

(Right) Ria Brodell. Catterina Vizzani aka Giovanni Bordoni 1718-1743 Italy from the series Butch Heroes, 2012. Gouache on paper. 10 in. x 5 1/2 in. (25.4 cm x 14 cm). Museum purchase, The Nancy Gray Sherrill, Class of 1954, Collection Acquisition Fund 2017.73

The Davis Museum recently acquired fourteen works from Ria Brodell’s series Butch Heroes, which depict transgender individuals throughout history. Using the format of Catholic holy cards, featuring a saint or holy figure on the front and an associated prayer on the back, Brodell, who identifies as nonbinary trans, paints the life and death of LGBTQI figures. Brodell describes extensive research in an artist’s statement, clarifying the series’ focus on “…people who were born female bodied, who had documented relationships with women, and whose gender presentation was more masculine than feminine.” Brodell addresses issues of gender, sexuality, and spirituality across centuries and geography through the depiction of queer individuals about whom generally little is known. The format of the holy card casts these historic figures as exemplars for the LGBTQI community akin to the role of saints in the Catholic Church. Butch Heroes will be featured in the Davis galleries for the 2017–2018 academic year, with a rotation of seven works each semester.