Koti - Home

The purpose of the project is to examine the most important place for many queer people, home. Home is a safe space where you can freely express yourself. Home is a place where you can close yourself off from the prejudices, expectations and assumptions of the world. For many queer young people in particular, their first home can be the first place that allows for self-expression. Queer identity can be reflected in the interior design in small details or displayed proud and loud. 

As a queer-person, the meaning of home has always held a significant importance to me. When I was younger, it was a place where I had to hide myself. Moving out and making my own home, I found more freedom and safety inside the walls of my home. Our homes can embody our headspace, values, identity and things important to us. The concept of "home" felt so much different now. Sharing stories with other queer-people, I've noticed similarities of how people view their home as their safe place, and even how self-expression can start with a simple act of decorating that place.

In practice I am visiting and documenting queer-peoples homes, and hear their views on the concept of "home". Documenting queer-lives and sharing those experiences to the world is one way to do activism, and letting our voices to be heard.