Cleonette Harris, “The Sisters” (2018) (photo by Cleonette Harris, courtesy LAST Projects)
The Queer Biennial is a month-long series of events showcasing artists, performers, and writers from across the queer spectrum including cabaret, music, dance, visual arts, and literature. Now in its third iteration, this year’s theme is “What if Utopia,” challenging participants to consider the myriad possibilities of what an ideal world might look like.
Craig Calderwood, “Untitled (Immature)” (2018), dimensional Paint, upholstery fabric, thread, and pen, 77 1/2 x 60 inches (photo by Craig Calderwood, courtesy LAST Projects)
The Biennial kicks off on June 1 at Navel with a free opening night reception featuring a keynote address from iconic filmmaker John Waters, and performances from Alice Cunt, Bebe Huxley, Sailorfag, and others. (A ticketed cocktail hour will precede the public opening.) On Saturday, June 2, LAST Projects will open its survey exhibition including Cleonette Harris’s candid photographs of queer communities of color, Craig Calderwood’s textile works exploring trans identity, Ciriza‘s search for the mystical through bodily abjection, and much more.
Other highlights include a film screening at the legendary Tom of Finland House on June 9 featuring Free Jazz, a punk celebration of movement by dancer, musician, and author Brontez Purnell, and seminal gay porn flick Boys in the Sand (1971). On June 15, Navel will host an evening of new dance works from Spenser Theberge, and Kenyan-born Jerome AB — who takes on the role of Masculine Ken, a masked character of unspecified African origin, in recent videos and performances. The full schedule of events is available here.
When: Begins Friday, June 1
Where: Various locations around Los Angeles
More info at Queer Biennial.
