June is Pride Month.
James Bidgood was an aspiring filmmaker and an early performance artist. Under the guise of “Les Folies des Hommes,” James produced films and photographic series of a homoerotic nature.
From 1963 until 1970, James filmed scenes in his Manhattan apartment for what would become Pink Narcissus. James wrote the script and built all of the sets himself. The film, celebrated within New York City’s gay community, was released under James’s pseudonym, leading viewers to speculate that it was the work of Andy Warhol.
James also staged photoshoots using his meager resources, which he transformed into lush and colorful backdrops and settings. His photos, featuring a combination of camp and erotica, were recognized by noted art book publisher Taschen, who released a retrospect of James’s work in 1999. James was also a contributor to Out Magazine and a collaborator with fashion designer Christian Louboutin.
James contracted COVID-19 in the early part of 2022 and passed away from complications at the age of 88.