Camp, Cancer, AIDS—Susan Sontag and Queer Culture

Marc Siegel in conversation with Birgit Bosold and Jan Künemund

Jack Smith in Köln, 1974

In March 2026, Marc Siegel published “What’s Underground About Marshmallows? Texts by and about Jack Smith” (Alexander Verlag), which reprinted Susan Sontag’s important essay on the American queer underground filmmaker and artist who died in 1989 from complications of AIDS/HIV. We’re taking this publication as an opportunity to engage in a conversation about Susan Sontag, her notes on camp, and her reflections on cancer and AIDS.

Marc Siegel is Professor of Film Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. His research focuses on issues in queer studies and experimental film. His book “A Gossip of Images” will be published shortly by Duke University Press. His most recent publications include the bilingual volume he edited, “What’s Underground About Marshmallows? Texts by and about Jack Smith” (Alexander Verlag, 2026) and the anthology “Serge Daney and Queer Cinephilia” (meson press, 2024). He is a member of the Berlin-based artists’ collective CHEAP as well as the Association of Palestinian and Jewish Academics (PJA).

Birgit Bosold has been a member of the board of the Schwules Museum since 2006 and has curated many successful and influential exhibitions there; currently: “Susan Sontag – Seeing and Being Seen” (with Kristina Jaspers). Jan Künemund is a freelance film journalist and curator and has been responsible for press and public relations at Schwules Museum since 2023.

Meeting point: Room 2

Price: €7.00

Reduced price: €4.00

Next date:

• Date Wednesday, 14/October/2026 18:30 bis 20:00
• Venue Schwules Museum
• Address Lützowstraße 73, 10785 Berlin-Tiergarten