Renay Hendy

Yearning Ole Higue

This work depicts the Ole Higue in a similar blurred forest area as the human, only the creature is reaching for fresh uncut sugarcane. The creature is surrounded by a fiery glow which helps to further illuminate the body showcasing the details of the body without skin. The fresh sugarcane represents the new freedom of no longer hiding ones queerness while shedding some light on the cultural and historical context of the sugar industry within Guyana. The creature wears a similar gold band around their arm showing their deep love and romantic connection to the human. The lack of certain facial and body features showcases the creatures gender non-conformance, furthering the queer aspect of the creature and the story being depicted with both paintings.

“Beauty in the Monstrous is a diptych work showcasing the themes of queerness, separation, and loss of culture with the use of monsters from Guyanese folklore. This work depicts a scene of a creature, known in Guyanese folklore as the Ole Higue, and their lover. In the original myth, The Ole higue is usually an older woman who will shed her skin and fly through the night in search of blood from babies or anyone who is vulnerable. When the Ole higue flies or has a light shone on them, they are said to glow like a ball of light or fire. In my thesis I wanted to create a story with the Ole higue and put my own spin on the tale. In my version the Ole higue only seeks out people they already have a connection to. My goal with this piece is to show the separation and loneliness one can feel not only as a person living in a country that they were not born in, but as a queer person of color navigating a new life in said country, while also trying to navigate reconnection of culture. This creature is not inherently queer, but I want to showcase this creature and its myth in a queer context, the Ole higue being the brightest amongst the figures as the shedding of the heteronormative expectations and being accepted for being queer while embracing one's culture, while the human in blue, represents the fading connection to that culture. The healthy green sugarcane not only represents the sugar industry in Guyana, but also shows the cultural relation between the monster and the human, while the burnt and cut sugarcane represents the stunted growth that comes with moving away from your home country. And finally, the bangles on their arms represent the romantic bond between the figures.I want to use the Ole higue and its tale as a way to showcase the freedom and growth that comes with being able to express your queer identity, through transforming and owning the monstrous form that is sometimes put on queer individuals, especially those from restrictive and non-understanding cultures. ”