reading shade

I am often reminded that we live in a world with almost unlimited access to information, so it saddens me when people continue to reference things without knowing their historical context (good or bad). Maybe this is the persistent child within me that always asks why or how; I am constantly googling terms or ideas to learn more about their historiography or etymology. Yes, I get my rocks off on knowledge. So when a friend suggested we re-watch Paris is Burning, I jumped at the chance. It had been years since I had seen it and wondered how my older self would read the film.

Image

The 1990s is often seen as a cultural wasteland, but just as Hedi Slimane (for Saint Laurent) has proven, there is much to be inspired by about the 1990s. And Paris is Burning is ripe for re-appropriation (it always already has been). For much of us, the House of LaBeija and the House of Xtravanganza should be as important as the House of Dior. Confused? Watch Paris is Burning, you won’t soon regret it.

On the surface, it is a documentary film about the gay underground scene in New York that explores notions of gender, drag, performativity and sexuality.  It won critical praise from critics but mixed reviews from scholars and academics. This blogpost won’t take a stand on which side is ‘right’ but I will say that this film inserted new discourses into mainstream society- most notably throwing shade, reading,  and voguing.

SHOWHIDE Comments (0)

Comments are closed

Christian has been a cultural and style junkie since the age of 6; while most kids were swiping cookies, he was swiping his grandfathers' Patek Philippe. Raised to appreciate art, fashion,design and  literature (yeah, this one actually reads) by a single mother fondly called Jackie-O. Christian quickly went from childhood cultural capital thief to academia protégé. Referred to as the cat's meow by some, too clever by half by others, Christian eschewed the academic life and ran away to join the circus -the fashion circus. Several well-appointed positions later and a career on the rise would be most people's dream but it was time to say fuck off and start all over again.

This is Christian Dare Unedited.