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Camp Estetik : Sanatsal Uygulamalarda LGBTQ Görünürlüğü ve Toplumsal Normların Eleştirisi

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 3, 267 - 289, 20.09.2025

Abstract

Bu makale, Camp estetiği kavramını tanımlayarak, tarihsel gelişimi ve sanatsal uygulama alanlarıyla birlikte ele almaktadır. Camp, abartı, teatralite, ironi ve yapaylık gibi unsurlarıyla öne çıkan bir estetik anlayışı olup, özellikle LGBTQ+ topluluğu için önemli bir ifade biçimi ve kültürel strateji olarak benimsenmiştir. Başlangıçta queer bireylerin kimliklerini ifade etmek ve toplumsal normlara meydan okumak için bir savunma mekanizması olarak kullanılan Camp, zamanla popüler kültür ve ana akım medya tarafından da benimsenmiştir. Bu durum, Camp’in kimlik politikaları ve estetik bağlamdaki işlevi üzerine tartışmaları beraberinde getirmiştir. Çalışma, Camp estetiğin edebiyat, sinema, tiyatro, müzik ve moda gibi farklı sanat dallarındaki uygulamalarını betimleyerek, bu estetiğin toplumsal cinsiyet ve queer temsilleri üzerindeki etkilerini tartışmaktadır. Camp’in mizah ve ironi yoluyla toplumsal normları alt üst edişi, bir yandan LGBTQ+ bireylerin görünürlüğünü artıran bir araç olarak görülürken, diğer yandan bu estetiğin ticarileştirilerek queer mücadelesini yüzeyselleştirdiği eleştirileri de gündeme gelmektedir. Sonuç olarak, bu makale, Camp estetiğin sanatsal ve kültürel bağlamlarda nasıl anlam kazandığını ve toplumsal cinsiyet ile queer kimliklerin ifadesinde nasıl bir rol oynadığını açıklamaktadır. Camp’in özgün yapısı, bir yandan normatif sınırları zorlayan estetik bir ifade biçimi, diğer yandan popüler kültürün ticarileştirme eğilimlerine açık bir strateji olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Bu bağlamda makale, Camp estetiğin hem sanatsal hem de toplumsal dönüşümün aracı olarak yaşadığı gerilimin anlaşılmasına katkı sunmayı amaçlamaktadır.

References

  • Aliano, K. (2014). Ridiculous geographies: Mapping the theatre of the ridiculous as radical aesthetic [Yayımlanmamış doktora tezi]. City University of New York.
  • Apelgren, L. P. (2020). When camp becomes a method: A conceptualization of conversational performatives and curatorial agencies within ‘the camp-eye’ [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Stockholm University.
  • Babuscio, J. (1993). Camp and the gay sensibility. In D. Bergman (Ed.), Camp grounds: Style and homosexuality (pp. 19–38). University of Massachusetts Press.
  • Baconsky, I. (2020, October 6). Pierre et Gilles. Sleek. https://www.sleek-mag.com/article/pierre-et-gilles
  • Barker, E. (2021). From marginal to mainstream: The queer history of camp aesthetics & ethical analysis of camp in high fashion [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Seattle Pacific University.
  • BBC News Türkçe. (2019). Matmazel Coco: Fotoğraflarla Türkiye’de Drag Queen Olmak. https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-turkiye-48798996
  • Bergman, D. (Ed.). (1993). Camp grounds: Style and homosexuality. University of Massachusetts Press. Booth, M. (1983). Camp. Quarted Books.
  • Booth, M. (1999). Campe-toi! On the Origins and Definitions of Camp. In F. Cleto (Ed.), Camp: Queer aesthetics and the performing subject (pp. 66–79). University of Michigan Press. Bruzzi, S. (1997). Undressing cinema: Clothing and identity in the movies. Routledge. Cleto, F. (Ed.). (1999). Camp: Queer aesthetics and the performing subject: A reader. Edinburgh University Press. Core, P., & Melly, G. (1984). Camp: The lie that tells the truth. Plexus. Degen, A. J. (1987). Camp and burlesque: A study in contrasts. Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, 1, 87–93. Galef, D. (1991). What was camp. Studies in Popular Culture, 14(2), 11–25.
  • Greenberg, C. (1939). Avant-garde und kitsch. Partisan Review, 6(5), 34–49.
  • Halberstam, J. (2017). Trans: A quick and quirky account of gender variability (Vol. 3). Univ of California Press. Halberstam, J. (2011). The queer art of failure [PDF format]. Duke University Press. https://s3.amazonaws.com/arena-attachments/1907653/5fbc5fb129e8e8aff3d6a6fe26fc2c08.pdf
  • Harrison, S. (2001). Pop art and the origins of post-modernism. Cambridge University Press.
  • Jarman, F. (2018). Watch my lips: The limits of camp in lip-syncing scenes. In C. Moore & P. Purvis (Eds.), Music and camp (pp. 95–117). Wesleyan University Press.
  • Jones, D. (2020). 50 Drag Queens Who Changed The World: A Celebration of the Most Influential Drag Artists of All Time. Hardie Grant Publishing.
  • LaBruce, B. (2014). Notes on camp--and anti-camp. Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide, 21(4).
  • Lafrance, M., & Burns, L. (2018). The dark side of camp: Making sense of violence against men in Christina Aguilera’s ‘Your Body’. In C. Moore & P. Purvis (Eds.), Music and camp (pp. 220–241). Wesleyan University Press.
  • Mallan, K. (2005). Between a frock and a hard place: Camp aesthetics and children’s culture. Canadian Review of American Studies, 35(1), 1–20.
  • Meyer, M. (1994). Introduction: Reclaiming the discourse of Camp. The Politics and Poetics of Camp, 1-22.
  • McCloughan, M. R. (2010). A (wo)man apart: Charles Ludlam's approach to drag performance [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Wesleyan University.
  • Moore, C., & Purvis, P. (Eds.). (2018). Music and camp. Wesleyan University Press.
  • Mouat, C. (2010). Camp and queer aesthetics in Almodovar films: The case of Pepi, Luci, Bom and the girls [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. North Carolina State University.
  • Newton, E. (1979). Mother camp: Female impersonators in America. University of Chicago Press.
  • Newton, E. (1999). Role models. In F. Cleto (Ed.), Camp: Queer aesthetics and the performing subject: A reader (pp. 96–109). Edinburgh University Press.
  • Nielsen, E.-J. (2016). Lesbian camp: An unearthing. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 20(1), 116–135.
  • Pekel, S. B. (2022). Bir drag queen olarak Huysuz Virjin | Huysuz Virjin the drag queen. Akdeniz Kadın Çalışmaları ve Toplumsal Cinsiyet Dergisi, 7(2), 427–449.
  • Pysnik, S. (2018). Musical camp: Conrad Salinger and the performance of gayness in The Pirate. In C. Moore & P. Purvis (Eds.), Music and camp (pp. 31–48). Wesleyan University Press.
  • Ross, A. (1989). No respect: Intellectuals and popular culture. Routledge.
  • Royster, F. T. (2018). “The booty don’t lie” and other camp truths in the performances. In C. Moore & P. Purvis (Eds.), Music and camp (pp. 137–158). Wesleyan University Press.
  • Selen, E. (2012). The stage: A space for queer subjectification in contemporary Turkey. Gender, Place & Culture, 19(6), 730–749. https://doi.org/10.1080/0966369X.2012.674923
  • Sontag, S. (1964). Notes on “camp”. In S. Sontag (Ed.), Camp (pp. 53–65). Penguin Books.
  • Uzundemir, E., & Belkıs, Ö. (2022). Çağdaş Türk Oyun Yazarlığında Bir Dışlama Pratiği Olarak Homofobi. Sanat ve Tasarım Dergisi, 12(1), 217-236.
  • Vela, J. A. (2010). Is Ziggy Stardust camp?: David Bowie as a case study in music and camp [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Texas State University.
  • Von Moltke, J. (1994). Camping in the art closet: The politics of camp and nation in German film. New German Critique, 61, 76–106.
  • Wahlfors, L. (2020). Cameron Carpenter’s queer art of the organ, camp, and neoliberalism. Music & Practice, 6. https://doi.org/10.32063/0612
  • Whitesell, L. (2018). The uses of extravagance in the Hollywood musical. In C. Moore & P. Purvis (Eds.), Music and camp (pp. 16–30). Wesleyan University Press.
  • Wiley, C. (2012, September 1). Cindy Sherman. Frieze. https://www.frieze.com/article/cindy-sherman-0
  • Wolf, J. M. (2013). Resurrecting camp: Rethinking the queer sensibility. Communication, Culture and Critique, 6(2), 284–297.
  • Yazar, R. G. (2021, Aralık 26). Ana akım medyada kendine yer bulan bir alt kültür: Drag kültürü. SistersLab. https://sisters-lab.org/ana-akim-medyada-kendine-yer-bulan-bir-alt-kultur-drag-kulturu/
  • Yürüten, E. Ş. (2019, May 12). “Camp”: Moda üzerine notlar. Vogue. https://vogue.com.tr/trend/camp-moda-uzerine-notlar

Camp Aesthetics: LGBTQ+ Visibility and the Critique of Social Norms in Artistic Practices

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 3, 267 - 289, 20.09.2025

Abstract

This article defines the concept of Camp aesthetics by exploring its historical development and its applications across various artistic fields. Characterized by elements such as exaggeration, theatricality, irony, and artifice, Camp stands out as a distinctive aesthetic approach and has been particularly embraced as an important means of expression and cultural strategy by the LGBTQ+ community. Initially utilized as a defense mechanism for queer individuals to articulate their identities and challenge societal norms, Camp has gradually been adopted by mainstream culture and popular media, leading to debates about its role within identity politics and aesthetic frameworks.The article descriptively examines the applications of Camp aesthetics in diverse artistic disciplines, including literature, cinema, theater, music, and fashion, discussing its impact on gender representation and queer identity. While Camp’s use of humor and irony is often seen as a tool for subverting societal norms and enhancing LGBTQ+ visibility, critics argue that its commercialization has trivialized and commodified queer struggles, reducing its transformative potential. In conclusion, this article elucidates how Camp aesthetics has been shaped within artistic and cultural contexts and its role in representing gender and queer identities. It evaluates Camp’s dual nature as both an aesthetic expression that challenges normative boundaries and a strategy vulnerable to the commodification tendencies of popular culture. By addressing these dynamics, the article aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the tensions surrounding Camp aesthetics as a vehicle for artistic expression and sociocultural transformation.

References

  • Aliano, K. (2014). Ridiculous geographies: Mapping the theatre of the ridiculous as radical aesthetic [Yayımlanmamış doktora tezi]. City University of New York.
  • Apelgren, L. P. (2020). When camp becomes a method: A conceptualization of conversational performatives and curatorial agencies within ‘the camp-eye’ [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Stockholm University.
  • Babuscio, J. (1993). Camp and the gay sensibility. In D. Bergman (Ed.), Camp grounds: Style and homosexuality (pp. 19–38). University of Massachusetts Press.
  • Baconsky, I. (2020, October 6). Pierre et Gilles. Sleek. https://www.sleek-mag.com/article/pierre-et-gilles
  • Barker, E. (2021). From marginal to mainstream: The queer history of camp aesthetics & ethical analysis of camp in high fashion [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Seattle Pacific University.
  • BBC News Türkçe. (2019). Matmazel Coco: Fotoğraflarla Türkiye’de Drag Queen Olmak. https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-turkiye-48798996
  • Bergman, D. (Ed.). (1993). Camp grounds: Style and homosexuality. University of Massachusetts Press. Booth, M. (1983). Camp. Quarted Books.
  • Booth, M. (1999). Campe-toi! On the Origins and Definitions of Camp. In F. Cleto (Ed.), Camp: Queer aesthetics and the performing subject (pp. 66–79). University of Michigan Press. Bruzzi, S. (1997). Undressing cinema: Clothing and identity in the movies. Routledge. Cleto, F. (Ed.). (1999). Camp: Queer aesthetics and the performing subject: A reader. Edinburgh University Press. Core, P., & Melly, G. (1984). Camp: The lie that tells the truth. Plexus. Degen, A. J. (1987). Camp and burlesque: A study in contrasts. Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, 1, 87–93. Galef, D. (1991). What was camp. Studies in Popular Culture, 14(2), 11–25.
  • Greenberg, C. (1939). Avant-garde und kitsch. Partisan Review, 6(5), 34–49.
  • Halberstam, J. (2017). Trans: A quick and quirky account of gender variability (Vol. 3). Univ of California Press. Halberstam, J. (2011). The queer art of failure [PDF format]. Duke University Press. https://s3.amazonaws.com/arena-attachments/1907653/5fbc5fb129e8e8aff3d6a6fe26fc2c08.pdf
  • Harrison, S. (2001). Pop art and the origins of post-modernism. Cambridge University Press.
  • Jarman, F. (2018). Watch my lips: The limits of camp in lip-syncing scenes. In C. Moore & P. Purvis (Eds.), Music and camp (pp. 95–117). Wesleyan University Press.
  • Jones, D. (2020). 50 Drag Queens Who Changed The World: A Celebration of the Most Influential Drag Artists of All Time. Hardie Grant Publishing.
  • LaBruce, B. (2014). Notes on camp--and anti-camp. Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide, 21(4).
  • Lafrance, M., & Burns, L. (2018). The dark side of camp: Making sense of violence against men in Christina Aguilera’s ‘Your Body’. In C. Moore & P. Purvis (Eds.), Music and camp (pp. 220–241). Wesleyan University Press.
  • Mallan, K. (2005). Between a frock and a hard place: Camp aesthetics and children’s culture. Canadian Review of American Studies, 35(1), 1–20.
  • Meyer, M. (1994). Introduction: Reclaiming the discourse of Camp. The Politics and Poetics of Camp, 1-22.
  • McCloughan, M. R. (2010). A (wo)man apart: Charles Ludlam's approach to drag performance [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Wesleyan University.
  • Moore, C., & Purvis, P. (Eds.). (2018). Music and camp. Wesleyan University Press.
  • Mouat, C. (2010). Camp and queer aesthetics in Almodovar films: The case of Pepi, Luci, Bom and the girls [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. North Carolina State University.
  • Newton, E. (1979). Mother camp: Female impersonators in America. University of Chicago Press.
  • Newton, E. (1999). Role models. In F. Cleto (Ed.), Camp: Queer aesthetics and the performing subject: A reader (pp. 96–109). Edinburgh University Press.
  • Nielsen, E.-J. (2016). Lesbian camp: An unearthing. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 20(1), 116–135.
  • Pekel, S. B. (2022). Bir drag queen olarak Huysuz Virjin | Huysuz Virjin the drag queen. Akdeniz Kadın Çalışmaları ve Toplumsal Cinsiyet Dergisi, 7(2), 427–449.
  • Pysnik, S. (2018). Musical camp: Conrad Salinger and the performance of gayness in The Pirate. In C. Moore & P. Purvis (Eds.), Music and camp (pp. 31–48). Wesleyan University Press.
  • Ross, A. (1989). No respect: Intellectuals and popular culture. Routledge.
  • Royster, F. T. (2018). “The booty don’t lie” and other camp truths in the performances. In C. Moore & P. Purvis (Eds.), Music and camp (pp. 137–158). Wesleyan University Press.
  • Selen, E. (2012). The stage: A space for queer subjectification in contemporary Turkey. Gender, Place & Culture, 19(6), 730–749. https://doi.org/10.1080/0966369X.2012.674923
  • Sontag, S. (1964). Notes on “camp”. In S. Sontag (Ed.), Camp (pp. 53–65). Penguin Books.
  • Uzundemir, E., & Belkıs, Ö. (2022). Çağdaş Türk Oyun Yazarlığında Bir Dışlama Pratiği Olarak Homofobi. Sanat ve Tasarım Dergisi, 12(1), 217-236.
  • Vela, J. A. (2010). Is Ziggy Stardust camp?: David Bowie as a case study in music and camp [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Texas State University.
  • Von Moltke, J. (1994). Camping in the art closet: The politics of camp and nation in German film. New German Critique, 61, 76–106.
  • Wahlfors, L. (2020). Cameron Carpenter’s queer art of the organ, camp, and neoliberalism. Music & Practice, 6. https://doi.org/10.32063/0612
  • Whitesell, L. (2018). The uses of extravagance in the Hollywood musical. In C. Moore & P. Purvis (Eds.), Music and camp (pp. 16–30). Wesleyan University Press.
  • Wiley, C. (2012, September 1). Cindy Sherman. Frieze. https://www.frieze.com/article/cindy-sherman-0
  • Wolf, J. M. (2013). Resurrecting camp: Rethinking the queer sensibility. Communication, Culture and Critique, 6(2), 284–297.
  • Yazar, R. G. (2021, Aralık 26). Ana akım medyada kendine yer bulan bir alt kültür: Drag kültürü. SistersLab. https://sisters-lab.org/ana-akim-medyada-kendine-yer-bulan-bir-alt-kultur-drag-kulturu/
  • Yürüten, E. Ş. (2019, May 12). “Camp”: Moda üzerine notlar. Vogue. https://vogue.com.tr/trend/camp-moda-uzerine-notlar
There are 38 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language Turkish
Subjects Communication and Media Studies (Other), Performance Art
Journal Section Review
Authors

Sümeyra Erol 0000-0002-4946-2930

Burak Acar 0000-0003-4765-3319

Early Pub Date September 16, 2025
Publication Date September 20, 2025
Submission Date May 11, 2025
Acceptance Date July 1, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 10 Issue: 3

Cite

APA Erol, S., & Acar, B. (2025). Camp Estetik : Sanatsal Uygulamalarda LGBTQ Görünürlüğü ve Toplumsal Normların Eleştirisi. Uluslararası İnsan Ve Sanat Araştırmaları Dergisi, 10(3), 267-289.

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International Journal of Human and Art Studies İJHAR; Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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