Cristy Road is a Cuban-American queer graphic artist living in Bedstuy, Brooklyn. She is greatly influenced by punk culture and her work often invokes the themes of gender dynamics, sexuality, class, depression, drugs, death, travel, radical organizing, and what it is like to live as a Latina. She has published a variety of illustrated works and just recently released SPIT AND PASSION (Feminist Press), a graphic novel about surviving the pre-teen closet amidst a homophobic society and a newfound love for Green Day.
By: Winter Mendelson
Cristy Road met with me at One Last Shag in Bedstuy in the little alcove situated off the main bar area. We sat together over pizza and beer as she passionately discussed her work and what drives her as an artist. What I found interesting was when I asked her who her greatest artistic influences she referenced only bands – no visual artists. And specifically, “anything epic” such as the punk bands Green Day, Lipstick Homicide, and Bikini Kill. In addition to being a prolific artist, Road is also a member of her own punk band called The Homewreckers.
Even though Road received a traditional arts education at The Ringling School of Art and Design, she feels most inspired by the punk rock community. She ditches traditional mediums in favor of the Xerox machine, markers, whiteout, micron pens, and fluid acrylic paint. I asked her if she had ever exhibited in a gallery and she replied, “No. I have no profound issues against a gallery setting, but I find it hard to relate to.” Instead of participating in the world of “High Art,” she chooses to make art accessible to all people. Therefore, her passion rests in creating queer punk spaces that are open and collaborative.
Road began making her work accessible early on in 1997 when she published GREEN’ZINE – a fanzine dedicated to Green Day. She has since published a variety of illustrated works such as INDESTRUCTIBLE (Microcosm Publishing, 2006) which is a 96-page narrative about her experience as a teenager in Miami, Florida. Further, in 2007 she completed a collection of postcards entitled DISTANCE MAKES THE HEART GROW SICK (Microcosm Publishing) and in 2008 she released BAD HABITS (Soft Skull Press), an illustrated story about the revelatory and destructive routes one takes when healing from an abusive relationship in order to reconnect to oneself. She has not only published works herself, but has illustrated for other magazines, record albums, concert posters, and political organizations. Road has also been performing as part of SISTER SPIT: The Next Generation, an all-queer spoken word road-show. And, additionally, she has been working on a collaborative Tarot Card Deck with Michelle Tea.
Since Road so often provokes the notion of gender and sexuality in her work, I asked her how she identified personally and how she felt about the queer community altogether. She explained how she does not want to be judged and would prefer the notion of gender to be abolished altogether. She confessed to identify as female and embrace her body as such, but seeks to break away from convention and being thought of as one particular way. This passion and mentality is reflected in all of her projects in what she calls “small beautiful revolutions.” In addition to gender, sex, death, and drugs, she loves to challenge society’s ingrained notions of racism and assimilation. Road believes that the key to progress is for people to seek out education and to challenge themselves to open their minds. She added, “Art is the perfect way to promote and inspire that.”
Cristy’s Advice:
Do what you really want to do.
Be real.
Honor your instincts and talk about it.
Check out her website to keep up with her projects, tours, and talks:
http://www.croadcore.org/
