Understanding David Hoyle, Britain's finest avant-garde anti-drag queen
- Text by Biju Belinky
- Photography by Holly Revell
David Hoyle is a force to be reckoned with. Not just because of the unrelenting energy brought to every stage he steps on, but mostly for his ability to turn pain into power in a way that’s seamless – so bare and honest that it can make even the uninitiated uncomfortable.
Standing in front of an audience with a face smudged in makeup that will only get messier throughout the evening, Hoyle sports his signature look that goes miles past gender – anti-drag, it’s called – a form of organised chaos bringing together a subversion of preconceived ideas of femininity, a touch of surrealism, and a strong distaste for all that is binary and bourgeois.
Dragging his words with a piercing stare, Hoyle has been using performance to discuss complex subjects since the 1990s, addressing class, homophobia, materialism, racism, nationalism and trauma with a scathing mix of well-researched humour and unwavering intensity.
Outside of his persona, David is soft-spoken and relatively subdued, but still extremely honest and upfront. On stage and off, the Blackpool-born artist speaks openly about having been bullied to the point of a mental breakdown at the age of fourteen, as well as his relationship with mental health, drugs, self-harm and alcohol.
His honesty and unapologetic approach to queerness led him to become an unmatched icon in the British LGBTQ scene. An outsider among the outsiders, David’s life as an artist has been through various phases, going from BBC-level fame through a self-imposed hiatus and back to the stages of legendary LGBTQ London venues, never losing his energy on the way.
Above all, David’s life shows that, for him, being an artist isn’t an occupation, but a necessity – it’s second nature.
It’s this dichotomy and complex history that photographer and friend Holly Revell is looking to immortalise in print. Featuring images taken over the past eight years, collages of memorabilia from performances and previously unseen artworks, David Hoyle: Parallel Universe promises to be not only a biography, but also a documentation of the experience of a performance – going from preparation to the height of adrenaline onstage and back to reality.
You can help David Hoyle: Parallel Universe become a reality through Kickstarter.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Jesse Glazzard’s messy portrait of queer friends, lovers and chosen family
The Sound of Dirt and Beauty — The photographer’s debut monograph explores tender, unpolished moments shaped by the people who he surrounds himself with, while offering a window into the UK’s working-class LGBTQ+ community.
Written by: Sunny Sunday
Activists slam “pervert glasses” in new guerrilla campaign
Everyone Hates Elon — Stickers have appeared on the London Underground network, criticising the wearable technology’s covert filming capabilities.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Behind the curtain at Alternative Miss World 1981
Olympia glamour — Running a subversive take on the traditional beauty pageant, the Andrew Logan organised event prioritised underground creativity and invention. Photographer David Corio went behind the scenes at its biggest edition.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Dan Lacey: “BMX is forever evolving”
Overground — Steph Pomphrey caught up with the two-wheel legend after his latest meet in east London, chatting about fatherhood, music and action sports within the outdoor industry.
Written by: Steph Pomphrey
The battle for the soul of lockpicking
Under locksport and key — In recent years, breaking locks for fun has grown from a niche hobby into an activity followed by millions of people. As it has matured, so have tensions over who sets the rules.
Written by: Jack Dennison-Thompson
New exhibition highlights British radical living over 200 years
Earthly Paradise — Taking place at the William Morris Gallery, it explores the homes and lives of artists, writers, musicians and more, as well as the conditions that allowed them to thrive.
Written by: Isaac Muk
