Comment

Rake's progress

Was at the derniere of The Rake's progress last night and some people were booing. I was wondering why - was it the conservative Charlottenburger high society shoked about the drag & trans* on stage? or were they queer people booing, maybe irritated that exactly these exotized extravaganza was there to incarnate the devil temptation and debauchery? At any case: my new song is exactly about that tiring use of queer "decoration"... freshly baked from the studio oven...

See for yourself a review of Rake's Progress at the Staatsoper Berlin.

Comment

1 Comment

photo exhibition in Firenze

Today starts the Drag King photo exhibition curated by Eyes Wild Drag in Firenze, Italy. In the portraits and photos around the world, you will find many of the most extraordinary drag king artists' faces and performances, from USA to Australia, from Italy to Russia. Large format prints of one Debra's Kate (USA) and Tania A. (Canada) photos of Océan LeRoy will be on view at the "Azione Gay e Lesbica" from December 4th-5th in conjunction with the "OUT OF GENDER" Drag King workshop and at the DRAG MADONNA party at FLOG from Tuesday, December 7th. Other photographers exhibiting their work: Alison Bennett (Australia), Angela Potenza (Italy), Claudia Papini (Italy), Eva Mueller (Germany/USA), Hélöise LeChat(Belgium/Italy), Rivkah Hetherington (UK/Italy). Ciao!

1 Comment

Comment

trans, inter or queer?

a short but precise clip about societal norms and conventions on gender, human rights and art. with beautiful pictures of Minette Dreier in a film by Anja Schaub.

(click on the picture to watch the film "trans, inter oder queer? Über die Vielfalt im Geschlechtersystem" on youtube)

Comment

Comment

océan worldwide on facebook & co

3...2...1...curtains open!

Océan goes truely wordwide. After years and years of traveling the planet and meeting you and celebrating my shows with you I simply HAD to embrass the technological possibilities out there. it is multi-media, after all, isn't it?! ;-)

Visit me on facebook.com/oceanleroy.biz, follow me on twitter, see my pictures on flickr.com/people/oceanleroy be my friend on myspace.com/oceanleroy and never again miss news, updates and my insights on queer show biz, politics and travel-news.

you can now "like" pages on my website: www.oceanleroy.biz and if these number of links was just to much to remember,  you will find it all on my contact page.

see ya!

Comment

Comment

17.11. Fearless audiences, fearless performers

Southern Queers, IDKE's fans, performing arts and theater lovers - come to the French Quarter of New Orleans to discover the most wild, weird, fresh performers! This year lots of international stage-obsessed have been invited. I will myself check how fearless the audience is on Friday Night at 8pm. Fearless audiences, fearless Performers

I actually prefer the title of the print version...: The Show must go Beyond! The New Orleans Theater Festival pushes boundaries

Fearless audiences, fearless Performers

www.nofringe.org

read more from the festival here

Comment

Comment

"Liberté pour tous" by Risk Hazekamp

"Liberté" is one of my very favourite pictures, and I am not the only one: lots of venues, or the press, ask for it after checking my web side gallery. Maybe you were lucky enough to get the postcard this summer for the French Summer Night at Marianne's? But even then - go for the real thing, exposed in full format at Risk Hazekamp's last exhibition in Berlin Mitte! And discover further pictures full in the lineage of her earlier work inviting to...freedom. www.souterrain-berlin.de

"Liberté" by Risk Hazerkamp

Comment

Comment

TRANSMASCULINITIES 2011 - Pictures From Beyond the Malestream

Der Kalender umfasst 16 Seiten und enthält 24 farbige Portraitsfotografiert von Finn Ballard. Auf zwei Seiten stellen sich die Models mit Schwarz-Weiß-Bildern und kurzen Texten vor. Als besonderes Extra gibt es ein farbiges Poster mit sieben weiteren Portraitaufnahmen, das ganzjährig die Küche zieren oder über dem Bett hängen kann.

TRANSMASCULINITIES 2011 - title

Auf den Fotografien Finn Ballards werden aus alltäglichen Menschen an alltäglichen Orten Persönlichkeiten, die den Blick festhalten. Die Bilder enthalten eine Spannung, die die Individualität der abgebildeten Personen unterstreicht und zugleich deutlich macht, dass es sich bei ihnen um selbstbewusste Akteure und nicht um Objekte ihrer Umwelt oder der Betrachtenden handelt. Es entsteht der Eindruck von Intimität, ohne dass die Models entblößt wirken oder ihre sichere Distanz zu den Betrachtenden verlieren. Dadurch, dass die Integrität der abgebildeten Personen gewahrt bleibt und sie die Betrachtenden aus ihrer eigenen Welt heraus anschauen, schafft Finn Ballard intensive Momente der Interaktion zwischen seinen Portraits und den Betrachtenden.

Die porträtierten Trans*männer, Genderqueers, Butches und Drag Kings sind einige der brillianten Sterne in der unendlichen Milchstraße der TRANSMÄNNLICHKEITEN.

Finn Ballards Anliegen, durch seine Portraitkunst TRANSMÄNNLICHKEITEN sichtbar zu machen, eröffnete dieses Projekt. Organisatorisch unterstützt wurde es von LCavaliero Mann, Ben Böttger, Ina Schneider und Micky. Das Konzept und die endgültige Form des Kalenders sind aus einem kreativen Gruppenprozess entstanden, an dem Models und Fotograf gleichermaßen beteiligt waren, und der ohne die Hingabe und Leidenschaft aller Beteiligten nicht möglich gewesen wäre.

Details: TRANSMASCULINITIES Pictures from Beyond the Malestream ein Fotokalender mit 24 Portraitaufnahmen.

Format: 29,7 x 29,7 cm 16 Seiten plus Poster erscheint zum Oktober 2010

Der Kalender wird vom NoNo Verlag vertrieben und kann online bestellt werden: http://nono-verlag.de

(Text: Nono-Verlag)

Comment

Comment

Festival of Queer Culture in Saint Petersburg (16-19. Sept 2010)

Yes, you read well. A QUEER culture festival in Saint Petersburg... attended by 2700 people. Photographers, dancers, poets, scientists, musicians from Russia, Sweden, Israel, France and Italy delighted and inspired audiences for 10 days. At least 160 publications have been printed publications in major St. Petersburg newspapers and lifetime magazines, as well as on the internet media. Most encouraging of all, 90% of all these publications are clearly non-homophobic reports – not scandalous or “yellow-press”, the like of which has never before been seen in Russia! 16 300 people visited the site of the Festival www.queerfest.ru. All this makes the Festival an unprecedented success in drawing attention to LGBT rights in Russia.

This is cruelly necessary, because this success has not been obvious. The Union of Artists Exhibition Center (formerly planned as photo exhibition venue), under the pressure from the St. Petersburg authorities, terminated the contract only one day before the opening of the Festival. But within 24 hours, a new venue was found, hundreds of people still found their way to the opening, a letter in support of the Festival was signed by 1600 people and 30 organizations. Just after the show, the milicia irrupted in the club and threw us all out on the street in the middle of the night, because of a "bomb alert". We could all go back after an hour in the freezing rainy night - and continue to celebrate our rights.

Homophobia

"Homophobia": Océan on Stage with Eyes Wide Drag, ironically the last performance before the milicia irrupted into the backstage area

On Friday night, there was an interesting panel about art and politics, being an artist, or be a citizen. But - you can not divide, you are - even as an artist - a citizen. You can not chose, you cumulate - in case you're an artist, however with a film, a painting, a photography, a performance, your mission is to transport a clear message, inspire with your interpretation of life, your perspective. It is political the very moment you express yourself - as an artists. And it is your responsibility to articulate a clear message, make yourself understandable. But ths doesn't make you less a citizen, and certainly not more than a citizen. Because as a citizen, you also have the choice - so keep silent or speak out. No need to go on stage. The street is enough.

Discussion

Festival of Queer Culture St. Petersburg

and as a little bonbon for hardcore-fans, here you can see yourself what the show looked like:

thanks, Aleksandr!

Comment

Comment

Hugs & Kisses Party @ Fundbureau in Hamburg

hugz & kisses party photo The last posters in town - before they were taken by the fans after the Show... even if the picture has some rehabilitation traces of Photoshop, they obviously loved the picture by Christiane Stephan! We had indeed to erase the title which was originally painted on my body.. no, i won't tell you what! ;-)

Comment

Comment

Aidan & Captain Océan's Hot Shoot on the Spree..

Aidan, in sailor's outfit, on his four, swaps the deck of the boat. Standing about a metre away from him,the captain supervises his work.  He holds a flogger in his hand, starring at Aidan's butt.

CAPTAIN (angry) So you think you're doing a proper job here?

And that is only the beginning of a guite hot scene where Kay actually brought the boat to GLITTER in the sun. I can't wait to see Aidan & Gilbert on screen!! A deep friendship story about 2 boys, while they accompany each other throughout the ups and downs of their testosterone-injected second adolescence between relationships, polyamoury, night life, dates, art, jobs, sex and the fun and trouble those things cause!

Aidan & Gilbert  - director Sean Moxie

Comment

Comment

20 pages for a gender switch

You know why I like Siegessäule from now on? Auf der Seite 31 bin ich von Gina Tonic als Künstlerin erwähnt!!!!!!!!! Didn't know myself about my last sex change, that are indeed breaking news ;-D und dann, 51 Seiten weiter, diesmal mit richtigem Gender in der Klatschkolumne. Thanks, Karin Schupp! The other way round wouldnt have been so queer!

Comment

Comment

C'est l'été!

Après le show avec Jutta Haasman voilà déjà 2 mois, j'ai pris goût au job de barman... et suis ravi d'avoir été invité à mixer les cocktails le 30 Juillet!So come all to that french summer eve at the Marianne to Mariannestr. 6 in Xberg. You will find me - for once - BEHIND the bar... well, maybe on it too, but for sure not in front of it ;-)

O@Marianne

Comment

Comment

CSD Street

and not Alphabet, as Prince might have been singing one day.. but did you get the view from the stage? here it is:

Comment

Comment

Barmates Infernos @ Marianne

Gainsbourg a du s'en retourner dans sa tombe... "Je t'aime moi non plus" en VO non censurée avec Jutta Haasman SUR le bar bandé, euh, bondé des filles superbes du Marianne... entre deux plonges DERRIÈRE le bar!! Yeah, je me suis proposé comme Barmate sous peu! L'été peu attendre...

Comment

Comment

Mutvilla’s 17th Birthday @ Ackerkeller

I received a very nice invitation to that birthday party last week - Todgesagte leben länger, basically "the ones told to be death live longer", right? :-) I couldn't help laughing while reading the line up for the show announcing the Kings of Berlin as well as the Spicy Tigers on Speed and proposed to be a further zombie in that joyfull crew... Well, actually that was a joke, but I eventually found myself dancing with them all together on the very adequately chosen  "Thriller" for the show Finale! But the nicest moment for me was the première on stage with LCavaliero who made me the honor to be my partner for "King & Gay"... check it out!

Comment