Notes on 'Camp'

"Notes on 'Camp'" is an influential 1964 essay by American writer and philosopher Susan Sontag. In this seminal work, Sontag explores the aesthetic sensibility of "camp" – a way of seeing the world as an aesthetic phenomenon, marked by theatricality, artifice, and irony. Often associated with queer culture, particularly historical gay male subculture, camp offers a unique lens through which to appreciate exaggeration and the delightful 'bad taste'. Sontag's insightful analysis helps us understand why camp holds a significant place in queer art, fashion, and performance, offering a rich framework for SAFO users to explore the subversions and joys within queer aesthetics.