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Tourmaline’s experimental short film, Atlantic is A Sea of Bones, confronts normative presentations of gender and sexuality. The short film specifically examines drag performance, a historically empowering mode of expression for members of the queer community. Tourmaline’s rebellious approach to art is comparably described in Black feminist Lorraine O’Grady’s paper, Olympia’s Maid: Reclaiming Black Female Subjectivity. O’grady coined the term, “both and thinking,” arguing for “critical flexibility” in order to dismantle the Western tradition of “either or logic” (O’Grady). She urges artists to “uncover the unexpected,” as art is the “primary discipline where exercise of calculated risk can be what you’re looking for” (O’Grady). Taking creative risks, Tourmaline incorporates unconventional visual, auditory and narrative elements to construct alternative spaces that promote both reflection and expression. Intimate scenes of introspection are featured in addition to expressive public performances. Transitioning between environments, repeating visuals of various fluids symbolize a deconstruction of social binaries, and act as a portal through imaginative spaces. 

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As the short film transitions through multiple settings, the respective color schemes and auditory elements are increasingly conducive to self exploration. In the opening scene, a woman looks down on Chelsea Piers, reflecting on her past in “the village, from 14th Street to Christopher Street” (Tourmaline). Home to the Stonewall riots, queer nightlife, and today’s pride parades, these streets have historical ties with the LGBTQ+ community. Subsequent scenes featuring dancers in drag costume and makeup suggest the significance of featuring the West Village, which welcomes non-normative gender and sexuality expression. This context may explain the woman’s sentimentality over otherwise ordinary buildings along the shore. 

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Juxtaposing the conventional properties in the opening scenes, the film transitions to more abstract colors and sounds, signaling a more experimental setting. When the nude protagonist submerges into a milky bathtub, the music shifts from deep, subtle sounds to more intense and high-pitched techno music. The chromatic tones on the woman’s nails and skin indicate a more futuristic lens, and echoing electronic instruments create a whimsical mood. Despite being in the background, a mirror sits on the wall in high-resolution, as two women separately stare into it. Meanwhile, interrupting scenes of a drag entertainer appear, suggesting that performance is significant to their identities. Intense music eventually subdues to low, haunting sounds, as the setting transitions to a sensual nightclub. Lovemaking and holographic dancers create movement in the background, drawing attention to the two characters previously in the bedroom. Now, they are wearing dress clothes, with one woman in red-orange sequins and the other in blue lace. Their slow progression towards each other creates a magnetic feel. Complementary colors and textures in their outfits assert the women’s individuality in the explorative space, but may also represent the complementary nature of their relationship. Powerful echos finally come to a halt, as the protagonist emerges from the bath-tub, exiting the most avant-garde space. Featuring progressively unconventional spaces, Tourmaline enables the protagonist to push boundaries and further explore her identity. 

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Bodies of water and various fluids reappear, acting as a portal between settings, in which social binaries are deconstructed. The opening scene presents the first body of water: the Atlantic Ocean. The muted color palette of a mundane image does not indicate experimentation. However, the hackneyed landscape becomes significant when the protagonist reflects on her past experiences in the environment. Disrupting this image, a milky green liquid backdrops the title page, which reads, “Atlantic is a Sea Of Bones.” This stylistic choice foreshadows the symbolic relevance of this liquid throughout the film. The title, itself, also alludes to unjust social hierarchies and may reference the Transatlantic Slave Trade. However, the subject of race is not as urgently encountered, as the protagonist is primarily experimenting with gender and sexuality representations. Following the title page, a close-up of the blue Atlantic is juxtaposed by the protagonist’s sparkly red dress and bling. Now, the sun is setting and NYC’s buildings are lit up, which signifies a new space for self-expression. 

As dynamic mental and physical states are presented alongside varying liquids, Tourmaline suggests the transformative nature of fluids in this film. The ocean transitions to a milky, white tub, holding the nude protagonist, who seems contemplative and distressed. The darkness of her skin contrasts the white liquid in the tub, highlighting her sprawled body. Her form is unconventional, as her relaxed, folding skin isn’t neatly situated for the typical societal gaze. As she submerges, the white fluid gradually dissipates before turning dark green. Another nude figure subsequently emerges from a similar green-filled tub. Her body is comparably unfettered, and she doesn’t appear to be posing for others. In fact, the tub seems too small for the emerging body, which may reflect that she had outgrown a previous state or space. Prior scenes of their unposed bodies create an honest tone for self reflection, as the women circle around a mirror. Following this contemplative space, the women, now elegantly dressed, dance in the nightclub. Their arms, hands, necks and hips are flowing as they approach each other. Resembling a wave, a rippling, translucent overlay filters the screen. The undulating motions evoke a sense of fluidity, and may represent an expansion beyond the boundaries of heteronormativity. The protagonist’s subsequent emergence from the bathtub confirms the transformative nature of the fluid, which escorted her to an exploratory space. Finally, the woman elegantly waves her accessorized arm above the West Village and the Atlantic, having explored and presented various facets of her identity.

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Multiple objects, elements and visual properties throughout “Atlantic is a Sea of Bones” elicit spaces for experimentation. Reflective surfaces, such as the ocean, a bathtub, and mirrors are emblematic of the introspection that enables authentic expression. Various fluid elements further symbolize an alternative to the Western tradition of binaristic thought, specifically regarding gender and sexuality. Submerging herself in liquid, the protagonist transitions between environments for self-reflection, self-exploration and self-expression. Liquifying the boundaries of social norms, Tourmaline illustrates gender fluid spaces, attempting to deconstruct heteronormativity and gender binaries.

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