Experimental filmmaker Lee Campbell's trilogy of gay male body identity NO BODY SHAME

Queerguru first came across UK queer experimental flmmaker/performance artist Lee Campbell when he played a flying visit to Miami our home town for HOMO HUMOR, COMEDY & SUBVERSION

It was a new Event in MIAMI’S WYNWOOD ART DISTRICT that was part of PERFORMIA 2020 an evening of Performance, noise, videos and experimental sound. For the occasion Campbell curated a selection of short films by queer male filmmakers from U.K, USA and Australia

Campbell’s own work revolves around his personal autobiographical perspective and explores (gay male) identity and desire. Comedy is an integral part of his work and he uses it to engage, disarm, and highlight.

Whilst much of his films combine moving image, found recordings and performance, when Lee screens his films, he often adds a live performance element. Rather than treating his film and performance work as separate entities, he is currently fleshing out what happens when he welds these two forms together in potentially exciting and unexpected ways. To create hybrid art forms and open up new questions for practice, research and thinking by generating live cinematic experiences where live performance ‘interacts’ with his films.

Now Campbell has just finished his three-film trilogy on gay male body image which he sent us to share with you.

Campbell says “The spaces that young queer people are creating for themselves are animated by a constant sense of self- policing, saying the right thing, being pc, body image ideals; feeling quite oppressed themselves. Becoming more and more increasingly aware as a gay man of ideals of body image that the gay male community puts on itself,he spaces that young queer people are creating for themselves are animated by a constant sense of self-policing, saying the right thing, being pc, body image ideals; feeling quite oppressed themselves. Becoming more and more increasingly aware as a gay man of ideals of body image that the gay male community puts on itself (FIT, FAT, FIT, FAT, FIT, FAT) this film employs protest art, of modes of representation /chanting (NO BODY SHAME, NO BODY SHAME) within ACT UP and queer movements, of political campaign, including my own drawings of my own body. I am never going to escape these prejudices and pressures. I am never going to fit into (gay) society’s ideals in terms of body image. They are made up and everyone aspires to them. I will never give into these.”

WRONG KIND OF FAT: SOME BEAR OVER THE PAIN-BOW (2019)
The first short in Campbell’s Film Trilogy exploring (Queer Male) Body Image, Power Relations., Pressures and Prejudices