Queerguru has always been a big fan of the work of the legendary Brit queer performer David Hoyle one of the very first ‘alternative drag’ artists. After we got to talk with him back in 2018 about his new film Uncle David 2, we were well truely hooked and have been following him ever since
Now this Spring he is taking over the Aviva Studios for part retrospective, part residency climaxing with a spectacular, all-star variety show. He’ll be in situ for three gloriously unpredictable weeks with a dazzling showcase of his work to date. Please Feel Free to Ignore My Work is a celebration of Hoyle’s prolific output from the stage to the screen to the canvas.
Its an unmissable chance to immerse yourself in Hoyle’s world, get to know the (UK) Manchester artist through rarely seen paintings, slogan works and new commissions on display in the Social – where Hoyle also takes over our digital screens – as well as screenings of his iconic television appearances and films, all brought together for the very first time.
There will be a series of riotous, avant-garde events – featuring talks, live painting and a classic pub quiz all hosted by Hoyle. Bringing the takeover to a climax is the spectacular finale David Hoyle: Still Got It? – an end-of-the-pier variety show from hell. Brace yourself for plenty of anarchic surprises along the way.
As a cabaret star, actor and visual artist, Hoyle’s infamous alter-ego ‘The Divine David’ transported him from radical alternative settings in the ’80s to the studios of Channel 4 in the ’90s. For the last four decades, Hoyle has queered the boundaries between live art, performance, theatre and cabaret – conquering nightlife around the world and working extensively in film and TV. Please Feel Free to Ignore My Work brings together key themes that run through Hoyle’s output: gender, mental health, AIDS, revolution, decadence and the effects of capitalism. Tracing his career from the ’80s to the present day, this body of work asks how and why we value our art and artists.
10 - 28 APR 2024 AVIVA STUDIOS The exhibition element of Please Feel Free to Ignore My Work is free to explore. Just pop by the Social during our regular opening hours – no booking required. Some individual events such as David Hoyle: No Ordinary Pub Quiz and David Hoyle: Still Got It..!? require booking and an additional cost.
