Terence Koh / Queerty

He's baaack!

Contentious filmmaker Bruce LaBruce last came at us with The Raspberry Reich, which focused on gay "terrorists". Now, LaBruce turns his iconic eye to a seemingly unrealistic, and quite timely, topic: zombies.

Otto; Or, Up With Dead People revolves around the titular, undead Otto (Jey Crisfar), who's trying to find his place in a world where zombies have become common place. While humanity has learned to cope with invasive flesh-eaters, they're none-too-happy to learn that the latest wave's a bit lavender.

Endangered, confused and fighting his zombie urges, Otto falls in with a Medea, who's making a flick about revolutionary gay zombies fighting back against roving anti-gay militias. The movie, which premiered earlier this year at Sundance, represents a huge step in LaBruce career, which started with Queercore fanzines and a little movie called No Skin Off My Ass.

Unlike some independent filmmakers, LaBruce's career has only grown in recent years, which affords him higher budgets and more intricate aesthetics - designer Rick Owens did all the costuming for Otto, which artist Terence Koh co-produced. Despite his success, LaBruce stays true to his message: assimilation sucks. The director widens his directive in this offering, however, taking on a broader consumerism and corporation-saturated society.

Our editor spoke with LaBruce this weekend and the gents hit the obvious talking points - conformity, the devolution of gay activism - but also get deep into some other issues, like Internet-based bitchey, where LaBruce stands on bareback porn and how the Canadian government may soon start hampering films like Otto.

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Mar 10, 2008 · Link · 2 Responses

» Terence Koh's Jesus Erection Offends II

New York-based artist Terence Koh received plenty of complaints after his controversial show, Gone, Yet Still. One irate missive read,

I went onto your website after hearing about your sculpture of Jesus Christ the Holy Son of God and I shouldn’t be surprised from what I saw, pornographic muck, what sort of a mind do you have? This is not art it is filth how do you dare vilify the Holy son of God!

The woman goes on to say she'll pray for Koh's demented soul. While some would react with equal ire, Koh takes the high road, writing,

Thank you so much for praying for me. I deeply appreciate it and need it. I know that I have sinned greatly and myself have prayed in private recently for the forgiveness of what I have done. I only hope the Lord will forgive me as he is full of generosity and spirit.

Fire with fire, baby!

3 Responses

AA Bronson's New Art Show's, Like, Totally Kewl

Gay Artist Finds Shamans

Wow! It's been many months since our last "Totally Kewl," in which our imaginary instant message personalities tell you about very real happenings. So, without further ado…

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Jan 11, 2008 · Link · 6 Responses

Terence Koh's Jesus Erection Offends

Everyone's a critic! Parents and the pious are incensed over artist Terence Koh's Gone, Yet Still at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead. From UK's Daily Mail:

A gallery has offended the church by exhibiting a statue of Jesus with an erection.
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Gone, Yet Still, features 74 plaster models ranging from Mickey Mouse to ET, with the 1ft high depiction of Christ with an erection a central figure in the artwork.

Outraged visitors and church leaders have criticised the artist and Baltic bosses for disrespecting the Christian faith.

Dad-of-two John Monaghan, 33, of Heaton, Newcastle, said: "I feel this sculpture is overstepping the mark with regards to respect."

Doesn't that depend on the size of Jesus' erection?

Jan 3, 2008 · Link · 26 Responses