Rashaad Newsome
Build or Destroy, 2021 (Still)
Single-channel video with sound, run time
TRT: 05:30 Dimensions variable
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Build or Destroy centers around a bejeweled figure engulfed in flames, voguing to an original soundtrack by Kevin JZ Prodigy and Kyron El. This figure, an amalgamation of Black fem bodies, embodies the power of community as resistance. The architectural motifs adorning its chest signify the significance of non-binary people as self-architects—building their identities in a world where they are often invisible.
The film delves deeper into the trans experience, emphasizing that it transcends mere bodily reconfiguration. The body, while a possible site for transformation, is not the sole focus of trans identity. Other structures—social, mental, and systemic—may need to be dismantled. As the figure’s dance ignites a fictional cityscape, it becomes evident that this blaze symbolizes liberation, tearing down the structures that deny bodily autonomy.
A diamond between the figure’s thighs references Maya Angelou’s powerful poem, Still I Rise: “Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise that I dance like I’ve got diamonds at the meeting of my thighs?” Within this diamond, iconic Black trans women from NYC’s ballroom scene engage in a vibrant vogue fem cypher. Their presence infuses the figure with affirming energy, empowering it to demolish both external barriers and internalized constraints, enabling a fuller expression of their humanity.
Build or Destroy is a visual and auditory celebration of resilience, identity, and the transformative power of dance.