Puppies Puppies at What Pipeline
Puppies Puppies
Andrew D. Olivo 6.7.89-6.7.18
What Pipeline, Detroit
June 21 – July 22, 2018
What Pipeline presents Andrew D. Olivo 6.7.89-6.7.18, an installation of new work by Puppies Puppies that reflects on past trauma, the physicality of transitioning, and mourning the death of an old self.
Please listen to this song while reading this text.
Hi Andrew
It feels weird to talk to you like this.
Pretending as if no one is listening to what I have to say to you. It’s about time I said these things.
I know at times you’ve felt there was never going to be anything good in life and that it will always just feel like managing to get through the days. I know you felt deeply sad very early on and never knew what to make of it.
I know you wondered what life would be like if the fight or flight responses weren’t always firing.
Andrew
I think you’re beautiful. All those people who made you feel like there was nothing beautiful about you they were wrong. All those people who made you feel that femininity in a perceived boy was worthy of hell
were wrong
All those people who abused you verbally physically and sexually
they were wrong
all those people who made you feel less than in a moment’s notice
they were wrong
All those people that said racist shit to you and your family growing up
they were wrong
All the times as a child where you blindly trusted people older than you and they let you down or hurt you or tried to brainwash you you weren’t in the wrong
I know at times you’ve prayed for a luckier life. A life filled with less trauma and more relaxing. A life void of having had a brain tumor. An easier life in general.
I’m sorry I called you Andrew so much. I just know many of your memories are associated with this name or I guess Drew once you hit a certain age.
Drew
as cheesy as this sounds please don’t forget you’re worthy of love
Don’t let the world make you think otherwise.
Please know you’ll eventually
see yourself as someone you can hug and kiss and say ily
Please know that life ahead won’t be void of more pain but you’ll feel joy you never thought existed….
Know that I love you
And that you’re always with me I see you I see your strength
Eternally yours
Jade
Works Cited
Lee Lozano as remembered by Stephen Kaltenbach, Disarticulated Skeleton, ca. 1968/2010, human skeleton
Diamond Stingily, Forever In Our Hearts, 2013
http://eggg.co/diamond/
Diamond Stingily, Love, Diamond, a reprint of the artist’s first diary written as an 8 year old on the West Side of Chicago
Hans Haacke, Grass Grows, 1967
Gino De Dominicis, Annuncio Mortuario (Mortuary Announcement), 1969-1970
