The subject of Camp was what we mostly discussed in our week four session. It’s a term, suggested by Susan Sontag in her book ‘Notes on Camp’, that is used to describe something outrageously exaggerated in image & style. Over-the-top, extravagant, passionate, daring. It’s often fusing elements of popular culture & fashion; something that is authentic & specific to the person.
I interpreted this as unconventional imagery & almost method acting, akin to David Bowie’s many characters or how James Osterberg used Iggy Pop to express some animalistic opinions and feelings. I liked this as it was essentially being the best, most unique version of yourself vamped up to the max. These are ideas I have been toying with whilst working & writing on music that I wish to perform as I feel like it would help me engage more with the work to take on a full character change and would help me with my performance anxieties. I don’t think it’s the clothes you have necessarily, although they do play a massive part of the ideology as a whole, but more so how you are within the world around you and within the context of your work/art. This also tied into us discussing authenticity as well.
We then began analysing ourselves as musicians and figure out what defines us/what could be exaggerated or projected aesthetically. Here is my mind map:
I feel like image plays a massive part in performance and after this lecture, although not necessarily camp, I am heavily interested in analysing my image as a performer and putting thought into it, maybe even develop characters.
HAYDN ALIM - PROGRESSFOLIO 