Join us at the Pride Gallery for Ace Astrophel Hengel’s Scars and Stars from March 12th to April 28th 2025, and witness a one-of-a-kind work that celebrates the beauty of identity, self-expression, and visibility within the Trans community.
The Story Behind Scars and Stars:
On the 13th of September 2023 I underwent top surgery, aka a double mastectomy, and it was both figuratively and literally a weight off of my shoulders. I was in the second and final year of my Advanced Diploma of Jewellery and Object Design at Melbourne Polytechnic, and in the months leading up to my surgery, I was inspired by character art I’d seen online featuring creative interpretations of top surgery scars in fantasy and futuristic settings. I wanted to bring that into the real world, to make my own version of it.
As a lifelong space nerd, it was inevitable that I’d work stars into the design, and thus, ‘stars // scars’ was born. Both a commemoration of my surgery, and a celebration of trans bodies, of the beauty and journey of transition. Whether they carry positive or negative emotions, scars are proof that you survived something, a reminder of your journey and what has made you who you are today. Something to wear with pride.
About the Artist:
Ace Astrophel Hengel is a young transmasculine artist based in Naarm/Melbourne who primarily creates jewellery, wearable art and other objects through silversmithing, 3D printing, fibre arts and more. His creative endeavours are all about having fun, escapism and self-expression, about communicating the way he sees the world as well as the fantastical worlds in his mind.