Sulo Bee
DOOMSDAYERS
© Sulo Bee, photo by Nadine Garcia.
Through their jewelry practice, Sulo Bee is developing a new visual language tuned into nonbinary existence. The lex- icon comes from a nirvana-like space caught between the social and mate- rial binaries called “$P4RKL3_FiLTH_ CL0UD_NiN3”, which Bee found after receiving gender-affirming top surgery. Able to better relate to their body and the jewelry they make, Bee started to see the world with new eyes, turning to nature for inspiration. Their large-scale yet lightweight neckpieces, pendants, and bolo ties are glyphs within an experimental queer lexicon. The artist makes human-made detritus appear organic with blobby shapes achieved through various techniques, including electroforming, ham- mering, hollow forming, and patinated and spray-painted surfaces.
The work is “equal parts sparkle and filth,” accord- ing to Bee.1 Engraved with blind con- tour drawings of natural elements and titles featuring a medley of numbers, letters, and symbols akin to internet usernames, Bee’s jewelry functions as a futuristic cuneiform free from binaries. The experimental quality of their work is a reflection of their ever-evolving nonbi- nary identity. Bee is also the co-founder of Queer Metalsmiths, an organization with the mission of uplifting queer voices in the fields of metalsmithing and craft.
B. 1993, San Antonio, TX
Lives and works in San Antonio, TX
sparklefilth.cloud
@sparkle_filth
JW178
Sulo Bee, P3T4L_F4LL[day_gardenz_], 2024, Copper, bronze, steel, silver, wavellite, black druzy manganese, asphalt, dirt, rubber, spray paint, and epoxy. Courtesy of the artist, photo by R & Company.
JW179
Sulo Bee, ST4R_F4LL[night_gardenz_], 2024, Silver, copper, casting spillage, bronze, black druzy manganese, asphalt, dirt, spray paint, and sticks. Courtesy of the artist, photo by R & Company.