In a Risk Magazine exclusive, we speak with Spanish creative Eduardo Jairycovich about his new book RITO.
RISK MAGAZINE: What inspired you to write RITO?
Eduardo Jairycovich: My problems. From the frustrations that any artist may have to the hardest things that many Queer people suffer. Bullying, marginalisation, insecurities. I’ve also inspired myself in how I’ve come to see those problems over time and what I was able to do to confront them. When I presented this project to Feminin Films, who over saw the video and photos, they loved it and didn’t hesitate to get on board.
RISK MAGAZINE: ¿Qué te inspiró a escribir RITO?
Eduardo Jairycovich: Mis problemas. Desde la frustración que puede tener cualquier artista hasta los más duros que tenemos que vivir muchas personas queer. El bullying, la marginación, las inseguridades. Me inspiré también en cómo he ido viendo esos problemas tras el tiempo y que podía hacer para afrontarlos. Cuando les presenté el proyecto a Féminin Films, las encargadas del vídeo y de las fotos, les encantó y no dudaron en unirse.
RISK MAGAZINE: In your philosophy on RITO, you’ve written about ‘other pandemics… pandemics that remain hidden and that we must confront’. Tell us about these, what are you referring to exactly?
Eduardo Jairycovich: The pandemics I write about are the problems which many of us drag from our adolescence. In RITO, I’ve talked about things which I’ve never discussed with family or friends. It’s been a way of opening a channel and giving a face to these pandemics which accompany us. The majority of the time the only vaccine we have is ourselves. This is why I decided to write about them, to question them, confront them and accept them, so I can detach myself and flourish. From bullying, when I talk about the time I was beaten up on a bus, to body shaming when I had to undergo a chest operation due to a condition called gynecomastia or loneliness when I talk about the constant goodbyes of people that decide to no longer be by your side.
RISK MAGAZINE: En tu filosofía de RITO, has escrito sobre “otras pandemias..pandemias que permanecen escondidas y que debemos afrontar”. Dinos sobre estos, a qué refieres exactamente?
Eduardo Jairycovich: Esas pandemias que escribo son los problemas que muchos arrastramos desde nuestra adolescencia. En RITO, he contado cosas que nunca había contado a mi familia o amigos. Ha sido una forma de abrirme en canal y de plantar cara a esas pandemias que nos acompañan. La mayoría de las veces la única vacuna la tenemos nosotros mismos. Así que decidí escribir sobre ellas, cuestionarlas, afrontarlas y aceptarlas, para despedirme y florecer. Desde el bullying, cuando hablo de una paliza que me pegaron camino del bus, al body Shaming cuando me tuve que someter a una operación del pecho por una enfermedad llamada Ginecomastia o la soledad cuando hablo de las continuas despedidas de personas que deciden no seguir a tu lado.
"The majority of the time the only vaccine we have is ourselves. This is why I decided to write about them, to question them, confront them and accept them, so I can detach myself and flourish."
RISK MAGAZINE: Why did you choose to use the medium of photography and poetry to tell this story?
Eduardo Jairycovich: My form of expression has been fashion photography for the last 6 years. Although I didn’t do the photography myself, I always gave my vision and what I wanted to capture from a director’s perspective. In RITO I don’t only do this, but also, as a model I also express the feelings and other things which I write about in the poetry. On the other hand, as a multi-disciplinary artist, from a young age I’ve always worked with the resources that I had in my surroundings in order to express myself. Writing is something which I’ve always liked. I think the poetry and photography compliment each other perfectly, the readers can see how a photo can visually represent what was said in the poem before it.
RISK MAGAZINE: ¿Por qué elegiste los medios de la fotografía y la poesía para contar esta historia?
Eduardo Jairycovich: Mi forma de expresión ha sido la fotografía de moda desde los últimos 6 años. Aunque no la ejecutaba yo, desde la dirección siempre daba mi visión y lo que quería plasmar. En Rito no solo hago esto sino que a la vez puedo expresar por mi mismo como modelo los sentimientos y las cosas de las que hablo en los poemas. Por otro lado, como artista multidisciplinar, desde pequeño siempre he ido trabajando un poco todos los recursos que tenía a mi alrededor para expresarme. La escritura es algo que siempre me ha gustado. Creo que los poemas y las fotografías se complementan perfectamente, los lectores pueden ver como una foto da forma visualmente lo que antes te ha contado el poema.
"Absolutely, my art is totally influenced by queerness, because right now I’m very focused on giving visibility to people like me."
RISK MAGAZINE: You’ve said that RITO deals with themes of queerness from a ‘surrealist and dreamlike perspective’, tell us more about this. What made you do this?
Eduardo Jairycovich: The book begins with…”This is the start of a fantasy. A fantasy with a lot of reality, but one which is difficult to see or fulfil for many people. A story without dragons, or fairies, or unicorns; but with heels, wigs and people who aspire to be free.” This is because, principally, the book is sad. It could be said that the sad stories are more present than the happy ones. But behind this journey of insecurities, you can sense a strong desire to love and accept yourself. This is why although it’s not a fairytale, they’re stories that many of us have lived through and if they’d been told to us when we were small or in school, we wouldn’t have felt so alone. We wouldn’t have thought that we were the only ones and that we were a freak, but that we had to continue despite everything.
RISK MAGAZINE: Has dicho que RITO trate de temas de queerness desde una perspectiva ‘surrealista y onírica’, háblanos sobre esto. ¿Por qué decidiste hacer esto?
Eduardo Jairycovich: El libro empieza con... “Este es el comienzo de una fantasía. Una fantasía con mucha realidad pero que, para muchos, es difícil de visualizar o cumplir. Una historia sin dragones, ni hadas, ni unicornios; pero con tacones, pelucas y personas que aspiran a ser libres.” Esto es porque el libro principalmente es triste, podría decirse que los relatos tristes se hacen más presentes que los alegres. Pero detrás de todo ese viaje de inseguridades, se percibe un anhelo muy fuerte de quererte a ti mismo y aceptarte. Por eso aunque no es un cuento de hadas, son historias que muchos hemos vivido y que si nos hubieran contado de pequeños o en la escuela no nos hubiésemos sentido tan solo. No hubiésemos pensado que éramos los únicos y que éramos un bicho raro, si no que teníamos que seguir adelante pese a todo.
”This is the start of a fantasy. A fantasy with a lot of reality, but one which is difficult to see or fulfil for many people. A story without dragons, or fairies, or unicorns; but with heels, wigs and people who aspire to be free.”
RISK MAGAZINE: Why do think it's important to tell Queer stories?
Eduardo Jairycovich: Something else which inspired me to make RITO was to excite people to be who they truly want to be. Many people write to me telling me how they like the bravery I show and the confidence I have in myself. But the truth is it isn’t always like this, to this day, I still think twice about how I should be or how to dress in my city when in reality I would like to go out in something else or do something else. Therefore, if I can help other people like me, younger or even older who still haven’t explored the less well-known part of themselves, and encourage them to embrace it and know how to confront their problems and become empowered; this would make me very happy. I’m not going to talk as if I’m someone who already loves themselves and like everything is happy, but from a realistic perspective in which you accept that the road to self-love is long and difficult, and that in life there will always be emotional ups and downs and that this is normal.
RISK MAGAZINE: ¿Por qué crees que es importante contar las historias queer?
Eduardo Jairycovich: Algo que también me inspiró para hacer Rito es el hecho de animar a la gente a que sean como realmente quieren ser. Mucha gente me escribe diciéndome que le gusta la valentía que desprendo y la seguridad que tengo en mi mismo. Lo cierto es que no es del todo así, a día de hoy, aun muchas veces pienso dos veces como ser o cómo vestir en mi ciudad cuando en realidad me gustaría ir de otra manera o hacer otra cosa. Por lo tanto, si puedo ayudar a otras personas como yo, más pequeñas o incluso más mayores que aún no hayan explorado su lado más desconocido, y que lo abracen y sepan afrontar los problemas que tengan y empoderarse, me haría muy feliz. No se lo voy a contar como una persona que ya se ama y todo es feliz, si no desde un lado realista en el cual aceptas que el camino hacia el amor propio es difícil y largo y que en la vida siempre van a hacer altibajos emocionales y que es algo normal.
"I’m not going to talk as if I’m someone who already loves themselves and like everything is happy, but from a realistic perspective in which you accept that the road to self-love is long and difficult, and that in life there will always be emotional ups and downs and that this is normal."
RISK MAGAZINE: Do you think there is a risk associated with telling Queer stories?
Eduardo Jairycovich: If there is; why does it matter? It could be that I lose jobs by wearing a thong in my photos but I’m giving visibility to all those boys that don’t do the same out of fear. When you expose yourself, you run the risk of exclusion and rejection, but my adolescence was constant rejection and now I am so proud of what I see in myself that I don’t care that they still do it. Of course I see how other boys in my surroundings are viewed much better, with a much more heteronormative philosophy and aesthetic. But it’s necessary that we tell these stories, so that there are references for new generations. I am clear on what I want to be and what this means.
RISK MAGAZINE: ¿Crees que hay un riesgo en contar historias queer?
Eduardo Jairycovich: Si lo hay, ¿qué importa ya? Puede que pierda trabajos por salir en tanga en mis fotos pero doy visibilidad a todos esos chicos que no lo hacen por miedo. Cuando te expones, corres el riesgo de la exclusión y el rechazo, pero mi adolescencia fue rechazo constante y ahora estoy tan orgulloso de lo que veo en mi que no me importa ya que lo vuelvan a hacer. Es cierto que veo como otros chicos de mi alrededor les va mucho mejor con una estética y una filosofía mucho más heteronormativa pero es necesario que contemos estas historias, que haya referentes para las nuevas generaciones. Tengo claro que quiero ser y lo que supone.
RITO is available to buy now at www.eduardojairycovich.com/shop
In a Risk Magazine exclusive, Eduardo Jairycovich stars in 'Un viaje entre las inseguridades y el amor' photographed by Gerardo Ortiz by Estudio Númerico. Wearing pieces by Rubearth, Un_Concept, Emeerree, Yvan Andreu, Proteo and Brotocó.
RITO is available to buy now at www.eduardojairycovich.com/shop
Creative Director & Stylist Eduardo Jairycovich
Photographer Gerardo Ortiz by Estudio Númerico
Makeup Carmen Marsev Assistant Laura Bolaños
Interview, Translator & Producer Jack Goldsmith
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