"Untitled (What I Deserve #1)"

ALISA SWINDELL, Associate Curator of Photography

Terrell's 2022 video Untitled (What I Deserve # 1) opens with a needle dropping on a record in a small secondary frame, while the central frame remains a black box. As a 1970s-era soul song begins to play, the central frame opens to reveal Terrell's alter ego Dion, positioned in a pink fantasia of a room. Dion is alone, wearing a marabou-trimmed robe, fanning themself as they dance dreamily to the music. As Dion moves about this space, subtitles appear at the bottom of the screen, listing the things deserved.  
  
Dion's sexy, solo performance radiates pleasure and self-confidence. The text reiterates that the person before us deserves love, respect, desire. As the video continues, Dion occupies more space, and their dancing becomes more expressive. The smaller frame changes sides, the record still playing. Only Dion's sense of self as they connect to the music matters in this moment.
  
In under five minutes, the video depicts Black queer bliss, pride, and fulfillment. The setting and soundtrack reference Black culture with a special nod to disco. Terrell embodying Dion takes pleasure in the music while displaying why they deserve that for which they ask.  
  
Dion's appearance in this video places it in relationship to the photograph Dion Untitled #1 or Sitting Pretty, also in the Hood's collection. 

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