About the Exhibit:

Don’t put that on, that’s not for you. By Hagudeza Rullán-Fantauzzi showcases the experiences and exploration of Trans Non-Binary self-expression and identity through film, dance, projection mapping, and sculptural installation. The world we live in operates on a binary system, categorizing the inherent characteristics of what is deemed male or female - excluding those who do not fit the preassigned descriptors. This exhibition takes the viewer on a difficult journey of escaping the heteronormative bounds we are born into, displaying what it is like to live as a Trans person in a country that criminalizes gender expression and seeks to decimate Trans existence entirely. 

 Hagudeza began this body of work to explore gender expression that society had continuously encouraged them to hide. The world kept insisting “Don’t put that on, that’s not for you”. Using materials such as galvanized wire rope, chicken wire, choreography, and hardened articles of clothing, Hagudeza confronts the stereotypes and expectations associated with gender assigned at birth. Each piece is handled in a way that denotes immense uncomfortability, demonstrating that gender expression can simultaneously affect self-image and the treatment from the outside world. “I had the idea that no matter what clothing I wore people would inherently view me as ‘feminine’ while dually feeling that if I did not present as ‘androgynous’ that would give people the power to deny my Trans Non-Binary identity and experiences” - Hagudeza Rullán-Fantauzzi. This exhibition challenges the predetermined limitations that prevented Hagudeza from becoming their truest self at an earlier stage of their life.

Don’t put that on, that’s not for you by Hagudeza Rullán-Fantauzzi will be on view in Gallery 1 at Da Vinci Art Alliance beginning October 19th, and will be available as a video walkthrough shortly after. Join us for the opening reception of the exhibit on October 20th, from 4-7pm

About Artist:

Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Hagudeza Rullán-Fantauzzi moved to Phildadelphia at a young age. They received a scholarship to attend Philadelphia Dance Theater where they had the opportunity to train within different techniques and perform works by various teachers and choreographers, whose works have been seen with the likes of Joffrey Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Complexions, BalletX, and more. During these formative years, Hagudeza was able to expand their choreographic voice through creating original works as well as attending the National Choreography Intensive. They received the Jonathan Phelps Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Contemporary Dance from Regional Dance America. At the age of 18, Hagudeza received their first contract as a professional ballet dancer at Festival Ballet Providence. While here, they were able to perform in contemporary and classical ballets while also being commissioned to create and choreograph two original works. Shortly after, they then joined Cincinnati Ballet’s second company where they also performed in ballets and choreographed a work for the second company. 

Hagudeza has returned to Philadelphia where they have been a guest artist with Opera Philadelphia, Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers, Drexel University, and Philadelphia Dance Theater. During this time they have created new works in collaboration with dancers from Philadelphia Ballet, Boston Ballet, and the Brooklyn Center for the Arts. They have also showcased their work in various ways through online channels, exhibition shows, and galleries. Most recently, they have received the Art Works Grant - a grant that highlights work designed to connect, build, and transform spaces and narratives that break down barriers through open access and inclusion, from the Forman Arts Initiative and Philadelphia Foundation for 2021 and 2022. Hagudeza plans to continue expanding upon their interdisciplinary artistic journey through film, projection mapping, installation art, and choreography

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