Queer Thinking

Fri 26 Feb
12.30pm-10.30pm

Talks and seminars

A fusion of academia, literature and ideas, Queer Thinking brings together the queer community’s best creative and academic talent to discuss their work, explore ideas and reflect upon the 2010 Festival theme, “Mardi Gras’ History of the World”.

Featured books will be available at the Seymour Centre during Queer Thinking

Queer Thinking Sessions

Community Discussions (Talk)

The floor is open for discussion! Spend the afternoon feeding your mind with new ideas, re-examining old notions and challenging current concepts. We’ve opened up the discussion to the organisations within our community who’d like to have their thoughts heard. If you have something to say or just want to immerse yourself in theoretical discussion, come along and be a part of these dynamic community sessions. Various sessions run throughout the day.

Crossing the Line (Illustrated Talk)

Discover the long history of cross-dressing in Australia in an illustrated talk by the State Library’s Fashion Curator Margot Riley. From Jeanne Bare, dressing as a man to become the first woman to circumnavigate the world, to Herbert Dyce Murphy who transformed himself into an Edwardian lady to spy on the Russians, see the many colourful, gender-swapping characters, both past and present, whose often surprising stories can be found in the collections of the State Library of NSW.

Erwin Olaf (Artist Talk)

Mixing photojournalism with studio photography, Olaf emerged in the international art scene in 1988 when his series ‘Chessmen’ was awarded the first prize in the Young European photographer competition. This award was followed by an exhibition at the Ludwig Museum in Cologne, Germany. Since then Olaf has continued to explore issues of gender, sensuality, humor, despair and grace in each successive series. Join Erwin as he discusses the creation of his work, its historical themes, and the art of photography.

In Conversation with Sarah Waters

After her award-winning trilogy of sexy Victorian novels (Tipping the Velvet, Fingersmith, Affinity), Sarah Waters turned to the 1940s and wrote The Night Watch, a tender and tragic novel set against the backdrop of wartime Britain. Shortlisted for both the Orange and the Man Booker prizes, it went straight to number one in the bestseller chart. Sarah’s most recent novel, The Little Stranger, was shortlisted for the 2009 Man Booker Prize and again proves why she is among the UK’s most successful lesbian authors.

Get up close and personal with Sarah as she talks candidly about her books in this delightful In-Conversation event.

Please note: This event is not included in your Queer Thinking ticket price. See Booking information for more details.

Out of the Box: Australian Lesbian and Gay Poets (Seminar and Book Launch)

Launched by The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG and intermedia academic superstar Anna Gibbs, Out of the Box is the first contemporary book of its kind: poems by gay and lesbian poets writing now in the freedoms and dangers of the 21st century.

Edited by Michael Farrell and Jill Jones and published by Puncher & Wattman, Out of the Box features poems by David Malouf, Dorothy Porter, Pam Brown, Joanne Burns and Peter Rose, and introduces new poets Maria Zajkowski and Scott-Patrick Mitchell - not to mention the free ranging poets in between.

Poems of love, violence, sex and experiment, with just enough everyday life to keep you grounded.

A huge line-up featuring readings by Pam Brown, Joanne Burns, Kate Lilley, Martin Harrison, Chris Edwards, Denis Gallagher, Andy Quan, Kerry Leves, Paul Knobel, Tricia Dearborn, Keri Glastonbury, Tim Denoon, Jenni Nixon, Louise Wakeling, Carolyn Gerrish, Jill Jones and Michael Farrell.

Parties, Politics, and AIDS: The History of the Australian Gay Male (Panel Discussion)

A discussion on the changing identity of the gay Australian male and what factors have impacted this identity. In particular, the impact of drug and party culture on the community, including the increased presence of police at dance parties, as well as the impact of AIDS. Is there even an “identity” or sense of community anymore and do the struggles for liberation even matter to the gay male today? Panelists: Professor Dennis Altman, Dr. Kane Race and Associate Professor Robert Reynolds.

Paul Burston's Polari (Literary Salon)

Direct from the UK is the wickedly funny, Paul Burston. Paul’s latest novel is the bestselling The Gay Divorcee, which has received rave reviews from the likes of Julian Clary and Marc Almond. As a special treat for Queer Thinking, Paul will be hosting his unique Polari event, described as ‘London’s peerless gay literary salon’ – a gay evening of words and music with Paul on the DJ decks!

Pedro Virgil (Artist Talk)

Best known for his photographic work on the “Gods of Football” series, Pedro has positioned himself as a well sought after talent, in high demand around the country. Working in the commercial and fashion industry for over seven years, Pedro has some of the most prestigious clientele throughout Australia and overseas.

Pedro will be discussing his work, the camera, the models and everything in between – a must-see for any “Gods of Football” fan!

Brent Corrigan: Uncovered

Brent Corrigan is a name synonymous with scandal and sex, which makes him a curious addition to our day of Queer Thinking. After spending years baring all for the cameras, he’s heading to Sydney to speak candidly and honestly about the controversy that has surrounded his life, his experiences in the adult industry and what’s next for a 22 year old who’s basically done it all. Entering into the adult industry at a very young age, Brent was purely working to make ends meet. Now 22, he has developed two adult companies of his own as a producer, director and even a model. While his sights were set on the theatre and film industry, Brent believed his past work in adult media would forever mar his chances of becoming a legitimate actor. Despite this, Brent has gone on to star in notable roles in films, such as Another Gay Sequel, as Stan the Merman, and Gus Van Sant’s Milk. Brent is currently signed on for a major role in the forthcoming film, Judas Kiss, and is rehearsing for the lead in The Masseur (a two-man play about the art of seduction). Join us at Queer Thinking for a unique insight into some larger-than-life experiences, and the personal take of a controversial star.

Queer Film and Television in Australia (Panel Discussion)

The Australian Writers’ Guild presents an exploration of the Australian screen industry, discussing the representation of queer culture and identity on the big and small screen as well as being queer in the screen industry. Featuring some of Australia’s most prominent screenwriters including David Sale, creator of the infamous television series No. 96 and prolific television writer Denise Morgan (Prisoner, Water Rats, All Saints) this session provides delightful insight into the television and film that has put queer Australia on the map.

Queer Histories Take on the World (Seminar and Book Launch)

Seminar and Book Launch Queer Histories Take on the World Join these notable speakers as they each present a fascinating lecture on a variety of queer theory:

• Professor Robert Aldrich’s Bodies of Colour. Robert Aldrich is Professor of European History at the University of Sydney. He is the author of The Seduction of the Mediterranean: Writing, Art and Homosexual Fantasy and Colonialism and Culture]], and editor of [[Gay Life and Culture: A World History. He is currently completing a book on Gay Lives in History.
• Dr. Monica Pearl’s The Problem of Beauty in the Art of AIDS. Monica Pearl is Lecturer in Twentieth Century American Literature at the University of Manchester. Her work addresses AIDS and its written and visual representations, as well as twentieth century American self-representation in literature and visual media.
  Dr. Ana Carden-Coyne’s Reconstructing the Body. Ana Carden- Coyne is Co-Director of the Centre for the Cultural History of War, University of Manchester, and co-founder, Disability History Group, UK/Europe. Dr. Ana Carden-Coyne’s roles in DHG are Secretary and International Coordinator. She co-edited Cultures of the Abdomen: A History of Diet, Digestion and Fat in the Modern World (2005), and a special edition on disability history for the European Review of History (2007).
• Dr. Carden-Coyne'sReconstructing the Body: Classicism, Modernism and the First World War (Oxford University Press, 2009) will be launched at the Seymour Centre during Queer Thinking day.

Queer Tel Aviv (Seminar)

On the evening of August 1, 2009, an unknown person with firearms entered the “Aguda” building in Tel Aviv and opened fire on a crowd attending an Israeli Gay Youth event. He immediately escaped after killing two and wounding a further fifteen. The resulting outpour of response from political leaders, police, media and community was unexpected.

Israeli singer-songwriter, Ivri Lider, leads this insightful discussion about the incident in Tel Aviv, as well as its impact on the gay community. Joining him will be Shai Feniger, a youth movement representative who has significant involvement working with gay youth organizations in Tel Aviv and has worked with the Israeli Gay Youth Association.

A look back at the queer revolution in Tel Aviv, its new direction and its impact on the rest of the world.

The History of Community (Panel Discussion)

Join this Welcome Discussion as we reflect on the 2010 theme, “Mardi Gras’ History of the World”. In this session, we examine the role of the queer-focused community organisations of Australia and how they have shaped our queer history. What is the direction of our community and its changing needs? Without community organisations is there even a community?