From Pedro Vasconcelos’ article forVogue Portugal:
“Art is not born of pain, anguish, pride, shame, desire or overwhelming joy, it is merely decorative”, this was the philosophy of James Bidgood, renowned queer photographer and filmmaker . Considered one of the most important underground artists of the 20th century, most of his heritage is established prior to the LGBTQIA+ rights movement. And yet his art was severely queer , contrasting pornographic homoeroticism with camp fantasy themes . The legacy of the artist, who died on the 31st of January, highlights the importance of enhancing art as a form of identity expression.