Isis Nominanda Cruz (she/her), is a trans femme performing artist born and raised in Rotterdam in 1978. As an artist, she has an alter ego named; “Lillith de Ville”.  Before her transition, Isis felt inspired by Lillith, a mythological female demonic figure. Isis read a lot about Lilith’s characteristics and was attracted to her powerful and unconventional identity. Lilith represented everything that Isis wasn’t at that moment and confronted the dark side of Isis’s identity. During Isis’s transition, Lillith guided her through her spiritual journey. Lilith has been photographed for the project Sensitive Obscurities.

During her transition, Isis felt the need to perform and received encouragement from several cultural institutes in Rotterdam. This was the first time Isis translated Lillith into real life. Her first performance ritual as Lilith de Ville was during her addiction treatment. It was the first time Isis created a performance without any substances. By performing sober, Isis felt her inner strength and confidence for the first time. 

Via haar trans femme lichaam neemt ze het publiek mee op reis in een sensuele trance door haar lichaam te tonen in erotische rituelen. Haar publiek komt door haar repetitieve bewegingen in een trance-achtige toestand. In haar werk daagt ze de symbolische aard van onze realiteit uit door middel van objecten en gebaren die verband houden met seks en extase. Ze wil de visie op de conventionele samenleving, genderexpressie en genderidentiteit uitdagen.

The one and only. 

Alpha and Omega. 

The beginning and the end. 

All at once, this is Lilith de Ville’s sweet farewell. 

Running towards a glorious afterlife. Secure, 

And Righteous. 

Adieu! Adieu! 

Madame Supreme. 

Irreplaceable.

Irreplicable. 

An ascension. Oh Mother of Mothers! 

Adieu, sweet Lilith. 

May your memory always be a blessing upon our queer heads. 

Text by Joana Cavaco 

Foto Prints