Jiz Lee Is 'St. Wanton' in French Art Exhibit 'The Friend'

CHATSWORTH, Calif.—John Sanborn's new multimedia art exhibit, "The Friend," which premiered last month at the Festival Videoformes in Clermont-Ferrand, France, delves into some of the deeper questions people ask themselves—and even tries to provide a few answers, with the help of popular adult performer/creator Jiz Lee. According to promotional materials, "The Friend" exploits people's fixation on topics such as personal divinity and communication with the dead by delivering "a modern representation of the most zealous exponents of America’s unofficial national faith: a spiritual smorgasbord of hucksterism and confused but positive thinking, seasoned through an invented spiritual movement known as New Thought."  The 17-channel work, installed for Festival Videoformes at the Chapelle de l’Ancien Hôpital Général, presents the leader of New Thought ("The Friend" of the title)—portrayed by John Cameron Mitchell, star of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Shortbus—delivering seven sermons filled with instruction, divination, personal confession and an abundance of ambiguity.  "The Friend" is accompanied by eight "Saints" of dubious distinction, and animations of their relics, who testify to the divination of this new religion and celebrate their freedom to build a utopia, consisting of damaged souls. Lee plays St. Wanton the Promiscuous, a joyful saint who eschews the notion of sexuality as sin, and embodies nonbinary gender and queer desire—a role eminently befitting. “Performing in the role of St. Wanton in The Friend was a terrific honor, particularly because it was one of less than a handful of solo performances I’ve had the privilege of being able to safely perform over the past 13 months," Lee stated. "I had the pleasure of recently working for John Sanborn performing as 'The Twins' in his live video-rock opera collaboration with The Residents’ God in 3 Persons earlier last year, so it was a special reunion to return to his studio, even under the current circumstances. The team made certain to practice COVID guidelines and his small team had me in the utmost care while still allowing creativity to flow. Each saint was recorded separately, and all assembled together in the cathedral projected on looming, larger-than-life displays. The photos and updates I’ve received from John, who is traveling with the show, are incredible. I hope to see the exhibit in-person when safety allows. “It was quite fitting to be cast as St. Wanton the Promiscuous, whose sex-positive ethos so closely aligns with my own," Lee continued. "The character is described as having a ‘libidinous and libertine joy is an embrace of all things sensual and erotic—sex as a sacrament, not a sin’ and is a scholar of the X-rated, hailing from the lineage of luminary leaders such as Susie Bright, Dr. Carol Queen, Nina Hartley, Annie Sprinkle and the late Betty Dodson. Also, each character holds a symbolic object, and my objects were old school vibrators on loan from Dr. Queen, who curated the Antique Vibrator Museum at Good Vibrations. Furthermore, St. Wanton was a perfect match for me as a nonbinary actor; the saint is described as 'projecting a blend of masculine and feminine traits, reflecting back one gender one minute, the other the next. They are truly fluid and queer. Their costume is both sexy and a statement about body positivity and the appeal of flesh. Markings and appendages echo Jean-Paul Gautier and Georgia O’Keeffe.' And, of course, as a fan of Shortbus, which was a sexually groundbreaking film on its own, it is a thrill to appear alongside JCM, albeit remotely.” Commented Sanborn following last month's premiere of the exhibit, "The project came alive in dazzling form. The response from those who saw it was ecstatically positive, and the documentation has been exciting everyone who sees it. Even in the middle of the pandemic, which has forced France to shut down once again, shortening the initial exhibition, 'The Friend' triumphed." "The Friend" is scheduled to be exhibited at Festival Access in October 2021, ZKM March-August 2022, and Transcultures, during the Fall of 2022. An American tour and VR component are currently in the planning stages.