Professor Ruth Holliday gives talk at the V&A Museum

Links were made between the deceptions imposed by the closet on the lives of the LGBT community and the way that camp emerged as a mode of enjoyment that refused distinctions of taste.

Professor Ruth Holliday gives a gallery talk at the V&A as part of their 'Deception' exhibition.

Drawing links between Trempe L’oeil ceramics (china vegetables, fruit and flowers) and mass-produced plastic fruit, Ruth and her co-writer Tracey Potts from the University of Nottingham explored the themes of class, taste and novelty from the 18th century to the present day arising from their book Kitsch!

Links were also made between the ‘deceptions’ imposed by the closet on the lives of the LGBT community and the way that camp emerged as a mode of enjoyment that refused distinctions of taste. The lecture was part of an event starring performance artist Bird la Bird who appeared in the guise of renown Trompe L’oeil artist ‘Birdie Slipware’ to add a hilariously camp reading of her great works ‘Two Satsumas’ and ‘Pyramid of Sprouts’.