Will Huxley and Garrett have spent two decades building a life and career defined by what they call a “queer utopia.” Their creative partnership, which began in Melbourne in 2006, is rooted in a shared love of art, music, and a willingness to embrace the dramatic and the visceral. Their latest work, the Bloodlines exhibition, is set to open at the Brisbane Powerhouse from 21 October to 8 November as part of the Melt festival.
A Valentine’s Test
The foundation of their relationship was laid during a tumultuous period for Huxley. In 2006, the newly graduated film school student was working at the ABC in Melbourne while navigating the complexities of coming out. Huxley described this time as messy, marked by self-doubt and the lingering effects of a father who had taught him that being gay was a shameful experience.
He met Garrett, who is nine years his senior, at a local video store. Huxley was drawn to Garrett’s dark, handsome, and gothic aesthetic, comparing him to Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. Their initial connection was cemented by a shared obsession with Kate Bush and the art of John Waters. Huxley noted that listening to Bush’s Hounds of Love on repeat became a staple of their early courtship.
By February 2006, the couple was celebrating their first Valentine’s Day together. Garrett presented Huxley with an ornate box. Inside was a real cow’s heart, procured from a butcher and covered in fake blood. The gift was a stark reflection of Garrett’s artistic style, which often featured visceral imagery of beating hearts and bodies in union.
Huxley, a lifelong vegetarian and animal lover, was initially appalled. He compared the feeling to the character Divine in John Waters’ Pink Flamingoes receiving a bowel movement in the mail. Yet, he was also thrilled by the audacity of the gesture. Garrett later explained that the gift was a test. He wanted to see if Huxley could handle such an overly wrought display of romance. If Huxley had been horrified, Garrett believed they were not compatible.
Instead, the dramatic offering undid years of self-loathing for Huxley. It demonstrated that Garrett was comfortable with his identity in a way Huxley had not yet learned to be. The gesture allowed Huxley to see that a beautiful, loving relationship with another man was possible.
Creating a Queer Utopia
That initial moment of acceptance sparked a creative synergy that has lasted for twenty years. The couple now works, lives, and creates together, focusing on themes of queer romance and joy. They aim to provide the representation they lacked during their own upbringings.
Huxley has spoken about the honor of learning about Garrett’s First Nations heritage and sharing that pride through their art. Their work often involves large-scale, theatrical installations. Huxley has joked that their arguments are rarely about domestic chores, but rather practical challenges like attaching fake eyelashes in a windstorm or deciding which heels are suitable for traversing inflatable vulva sculptures.
Their art serves as a healing process, allowing them to process the queerness that Huxley hid for so long and the cultural heritage that Garrett brings to their shared practice. The Bloodlines exhibition at the Brisbane Powerhouse will showcase this two-decade journey, offering viewers a glimpse into the intense, theatrical, and deeply personal world they have built together.
Source: The Guardian
