This year I have been looking at my Polish roots through a queer lens. For my Voice project at the Graduate Diploma, I developed the first issue of Hyacinth zine, an editorial project dedicated to Eastern European queer identities.
The first issue of the magazine includes articles, interviews, reviews and editorial images all revolving around the theme of queer Polish mythologies, and showcases a small collection of accessories inspired by the traditional Eastern European craft of using rowan berries as beads for necklaces.
One of the most important pieces is the Hyacinth brooch, a reference to the flower and classical mythological figure that share its name. In the 80s, the soviet Polish forces initiated ‘Operation Hyacinth’, a secret action intended to track all the gay men in the country. Coincidentally, my own name, Jacek, comes from the word Hyacinth too.
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