2026 SPE Annual Conference: Catalyst for Exchange
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print this pageCredimi, Chiamami, Vedimi / Believe Me, Call Me, See Me
Eleonora Lele Bonizzi
Friday, October 18 - 10:00AM to 10:30AM
Kimball Arts 143
In a time when discussions about gender have moved from the margins to the forefront, photographer Lele Bonizzi has undertaken a project to explore the complex realities faced by non-binary individuals. Drawing from their Italian heritage, where language is intrinsically gendered, Bonizzi's capstone thesis series for Utah State University, titled "Credimi, Chiamami, Vedimi / Believe Me, Call Me, See Me," examines the cultural and linguistic challenges non-binary people face. This project delves into the concept of identity beyond the binary, inspired by Bonizzi's own experiences as a non-binary person. The Italian language, with its rigid gender classifications, struggles to accommodate the non-binary identity, symbolized by the introduction of the unfamiliar letter ə. Credimi, Chiamami, Vedimi / Believe Me, Call Me, See Me encapsulates this sense of displacement, this erasure of clarity and tradition, a scream into the world begging to be recognized. Through figural studies and portraiture of non-binary individuals, the series reflects upon the enigmatic yet oddly familiar, situating bodies and identities living outside of language and framed by performativity and anonymity. As their existence—now made into a matters of political opinion—oscillates between affirmation and negation, these photographs engage in a perpetual game of hide and seek. In their artist talk, Bonizzi highlights the broader context of this work, emphasizing the parallels between Italy's linguistic challenges and the societal resistance faced by non-binary individuals in Utah. The recent legislative actions, such as HB257, which restricts bathroom access based on sex assigned at birth, underscore the urgent need for visibility and dialogue around non-binary identities. The project also touches on the historical erasure of gender nonconforming individuals and reclamation by appropriation, drawing connections to indigenous Two-Spirit identities and the broader human tapestry. Inspired by artists like Paul Strand, Emmet Gowin, and Elle Perez, Bonizzi's work combines elements of documentary and fashion photography to explore the layers of self beyond the surface. The process of creating this series involved deep, hours-long conversations with the models, allowing them to shape how they are represented. This collaborative approach, which mirrored photo elicitation interviews, ensures that the subjects have agency in how they are seen, understood, and depicted.
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