Dorothy's House

Since the 1950s in the United States, gay men, and later members of the LGBTQIA+ community in general, have referred to themselves as "friends of Dorothy" in order to discreetly communicate their sexual orientation. The origin of the expression is uncertain; perhaps it's a reference to the character of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, played by gay icon Judy Garland. Whatever the case, in 1981, having caught wind of this phenomenon in the US Army in Chicago and convinced that this Dorothy was a real person, the NIS, the Navy's investigative arm, launched a major hunt for her, hoping that she would reveal the names of all her gay military friends.

Vincent Grange's immersive installation invites the public to visit the different rooms and corridors of the house of Dorothy, this imaginary woman wanted by the army. As well as condemning a homophobic investigation through a philosophy of the absurd, this project pays tribute to the many queer spaces around the world and their histories, and aims to remind us of the primordial importance of their existence in a world where 67 countries still condemn homosexuality and trans-identity. At the intersection of queer history and spatial design, the architecture, artefacts and various machines in the installation help to tell the extraordinary story of this imaginary woman.

About the artist Vincent Grange

A recent graduate of the Espace et Communication master's programme at HEAD - Geneva (Haute école d'art et de design), and convinced that the public is more inclined to think with the artist once immersed in a work of art, Vincent specialises in large-scale immersive installations. Inspired by the 'Pataphysics' movement, he challenges the codes of our heteronormative society by inventing alternative realities. The architecture, artefacts and various machines he creates invite the public to interpret each design decision, and to decipher the story - often absurd and poetic - told here. Co-founder of the Dukat space in Carouge, he has set up his studio there and regularly exhibits his work there. Vincent has also had the chance to present his projects at Bombas Gens in Valencia, Spain, and at Geneva Pride 2023. In 2024, he will also be taking part in the Ljubljana Design Biennial. Finalist forl the Prix Kiefer Hablitzel Göhner at Swiss Art Awards in ArtBasel 2024 and winner of the Bourses Déliée 2024 from the Fonds Cantonal d’Art Contemporain (FCAC)