Living Trans Portraits

Paintings by Cody Masback

Living Trans Portraits is an ongoing portrait series celebrating the lives, stories, and presence of Trans and gender-diverse Minnesotans. Each portrait was developed through conversations with its participant, making the interview process as integral to the work as the painting itself. Together, the conversations and portraits reflect not only each person's likeness, but also how they choose to be seen.

Living Trans Portraits was created as a series not in memoriam, but in celebration and honor of our living-to give people their flowers while they are still here. Portraiture has long been used to preserve history, identity, and legacy, yet access to that tradition has often been reserved for those with wealth, power, or social standing. Through this project, I seek to reclaim portraiture as a collaborative practice, offering a stage for Trans people to author their own narrative and participate in shaping their own representation while expanding who is seen, celebrated, and remembered through the tradition of portraiture.

These portraits invite viewers to slow down, meet each subject as an individual, and recognize the richness and diversity of Minnesota's Trans community. Together, they form a collective portrait that honors not only the individuals represented, but also the relationships, conversations, and collaboration that made each painting possible.

FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Cody Masback is a fiscal year 2025 recipient of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board,

thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

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