eachdaywecarvedeachmoment,leavingbehindusatrailofdaysinafieldof debris_longtrailsofdebris,withnothingtocleanitupbutlove, portrait of Daniel and Yosuf, is part of the chosenfamily/lovers series exploring the nonbiological bonds and relationships between gay people, expanding on the idea of family as structures that build hope and resilience, chosen out of mutual love and support. The intergenerational and interracial portraits speak of queer perspective and agency. Drawing from John Singer Sargent's high society portraits and Francis Bacon's paintings in warped environments, the sitters for this series are invited to pose in opposition to social norms as a form of resistance, play, and queering the act of posing. The subjects are reinterpreting and playing with classical poses, nestled intimately on a couch. The morphed couch is womb-like and shell-like, destabilizing traditional associations, wrapping around their entire bodies. There is no clear top or bottom to the image but rather a continuous circular motion of shifting perspectives, forming a uniquely queer space. The men are posed, holding each other, playing with eroticism and tongue-in-cheek sensual/sexual poses, creating a space of warmth, desire, and love. Playing with cultural, queer, and fetish identifiers, the men are dressed in flower print shirts, beaded necklaces, stockings, and sports socks.

Daniel de Jesus is a musician and artist and a longtime performance collaborator with the artist.