THE SAINT
A youth, bound. Pierced by arrows due to his faith, then later clubbed to death. Patron of archers, athletes and of a holy death. Protector from plague. Adopted as a homoerotic icon and symbol of gay sexuality and endurance.
The Saint is the product of a 2016 collaboration between Adam, (in poetry and performance), and textile artist and fashion designer Phillip Sean Brown / Oh Reinette on the subject of Saint Sebastian.
Eroticised due to his passive pose, his masculine beauty and the phallic nature of his arrow-pierced body, Saint Sebastian is largely considered the first historical gay icon. The constrictive nature of his bound hands symbolising the struggle for freedom and gay liberation, the youthful and muscled body representing masculinity and endurance through persecution or harassment. As patron saint of archers, soldiers and athletes he exudes health, whilst his role as protector from disease can be linked to the AIDS crisis, his body obviously free from the ravages of disease.
Since publication, the poem has been recorded by performance artist Ivel Gordova, and performed by The Witch’s Child as part of Nasty Women Newcastle in April 2017.
