Neyde Lantyer talks with photographer Diana Blok, about her project
“EU TE DESAFIO A ME AMAR” (I challenge you to love me) which portrays
Brazilian transsexuals, bisexuals, transvestites, gays, lesbians, intersex,
cross-dressers, queers, “all individuals in their own power and beauty”.
Born in Uruguay, she grew up in Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico,
moving to Amsterdam in 1974, where she began a career as a professional photographer.
In the last decade Diana Blok has also developed projects in Brazil, attending artistic residences in Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and Brasília. In her own words: “In 1975, I made my first self-portrait with the theme of gender, experimenting with role-playing” and the deconstruction of behaviour patterns. The questions around gender, identity and sexual diversity have been constantly present in my oeuvre along 40 years.” “The project “EU TE DESAFIO A ME AMAR” was realized in 2014, in Brazil, where the violence of gender grew 40% in the last 6 years and the rising of Evangelic churches has been threatening all the sexual diversity that falls outside the “heterosexual norm”.” You are welcome to join the conversation!