HOLOTYPES

Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 2021.

When a new species is discovered, it must be scientifically documented. At this time, a single specimen must be nominated to represent that species. This specimen is called a holotype. Recent and conservative estimates suggest 18% of all living species are known at this point. There is a lot left to discover and a lot we don’t know about biodiversity. Holotypes presents a series of hypothetical and scientifically named new discoveries that expand what we know about sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics in nature.

This work formed part of the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10). The photos of all work at QAGOMA were commissioned for APT10. Images courtesy Queensland Art Gallery l Gallery of Modern Art. Photography: Katie Bennett, Chloe Callistemon, Merinda Campbell, Marc Grimwade, Joe Ruckli, and Lee Wilkes.