House of Rice, an all-Asian drag family based in Vancouver, now has their Lunoryza project on display on Parallelogram, the Polygon Gallery’s online-based archive and gallery space. Parallelogram describes itself as “conceived of as an online platform from The Polygon Gallery, an incubator and archive for digital projects.” This is a project first created by the drag family in 2021. The piece fits the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Reduced Inequalities, immortalizing House of Rice's queer and transgender performers as moon cycles.
House of Rice’s Lunoryza project was originally made for a special issue of Headmaster Magazine, intending to create a “queer zodiac”. Created after “the rebirth of the New Moon” accompanied by seven signs, according to the description of the project on Parallelogram, Lunoryza creates a new “cycle of Lunation” lasting 29.5 days, which includes the phases Waxing Crescent associated with No Hoa, the First Quarter, associated with Tantam, the Waxing Gibbous associated with Datura, the Full Moon associated with Kiriya, Waning Gibbous associated with Kasundo, Last Quarter associated with Ziji and the Waning Crescent associated with Saeroun.
The drag house imagines each of the signs visually, with different looks conceived by members of the house. "No Hoa," or the Waxing Crescent, is visually conceived by Shay Dior.
"Datura," or the Waxing Gibbous, is visually conceived by Maiden China.
"Kiriya," or the Full Moon, is visually conceived by Dol of Siam.
These are only three of the seven moon cycles or zodiac signs. What remains are Kasundo, or Waning Gibbous, representing self-reflection and altruism; Ziji, or Last Quarter, representing creativity and daydreamers. Finally there is SaeRoun, or Waning Crescent, representing curiosity and passion. All seven signs elevate not only the performers but also queerness to astrological deities, dusted in glitter, draped in silken fabrics. They represent deep human truths: curiosity, resourcefulness, creativity, altruism, diligence and transformation.