CAMP: A sensibility that revels in artifice, stylization, theatricalization, irony, playfulness, and exaggeration rather than content, as Susan Sontag famously defined the term in her short essay, "Notes on 'Camp.'" According to Sontag, "Camp sensibility is disengaged, depoliticized—or at least apolitical"; however, some postmodernists, feminists, and queer theorists have explored the ways that camp (for example, the drag show) can trouble the belief that gender is "natural" or inherent, and can therefore work against heteronormativity. As Sontag argues, "Not all homosexuals have Camp taste. But homosexuals, by and large, constitute the vanguard—and the most articulate audience—of Camp." By exaggerating sexual characteristics and personality mannerisms, such queer-inflected camp could be said to contend that all behavior is really performative. Camp is also tied to postmodernism. As Sontag puts it, "Camp sees everything in quotation marks. It's not a lamp, but a 'lamp; not a woman, but a 'woman.'" In this way, the term resembles Linda Hutcheon's very similar understanding of parody, which Hutcheon offers as one of the major characteristics of postmodern art. (See the Hutcheon module on parody.) Camp's relationship to kitsch is a close one; camp could be said to be a self-conscious kitsch. As Sontag writes, "Many examples of Camp are things which, from a 'serious' point of view, are either bad art or kitsch," though she also acknowledges that "some art which can be approached as Camp... merits the most serious admiration and study." Sontag also distinguishes between "pure camp," which amounts to a kitsch that takes itself so seriously that we can now see it as hilarious (in other words, the camp sensibility is on the side of the audience not the author of the work), and "Camp which knows itself to be camp" and is, therefore, already making fun of itself. (Click here for Sontag's article.)
FAQs
a. : a place usually away from urban areas where tents or simple buildings (such as cabins) are erected for shelter or for temporary residence (as for laborers, prisoners, or vacationers) migrant labor camp. b. : a group of tents, cabins, or huts.
What does it mean if someone is camp? ›
camp in British English
1. effeminate; affected in mannerisms, dress, etc. 2. consciously artificial, exaggerated, vulgar, or mannered; self-parodying, esp when in dubious taste. verb.
What does Susan Sontag mean by camp? ›
Definition: Camp. CAMP: A sensibility that revels in artifice, stylization, theatricalization, irony, playfulness, and exaggeration rather than content, as Susan Sontag famously defined the term in her short essay, "Notes on 'Camp.
What does camp mean for LGBT? ›
Camp in this sense has been suggested to have possibly derived from the French term se camper, meaning "to pose in an exaggerated fashion". Later, it evolved into a general description of the aesthetic choices and behavior of working-class gay men.
What does camp mean in drag? ›
“Campy” drag is a traditional type of drag (the opposite of a female/male impersonator, who attempts to look as womanly/manly as possible) where everything is exaggerated and over the top. When people hear “camp queen”, they think of comedy queens like Nina West, Bianca Del Rio, and Bob the Drag Queen.
What is Camp So and So about? ›
Twenty-five perfectly innocent pre-teen girls, plus one highly dangerous summer camp that is NOT what it seems. Camp So-and-So is a fast-paced thriller by Mary McCoy. The story begins one day in mid-February, when twenty-five girls receive letters and brochures inviting them to spend the summer at Camp So-and-So.
What is camp irony? ›
Camp is a style and sensibility that seeks to express irony and subversion of mainstream society through deliberately assuming a gaudy aesthetic.
What is camp Famous summary? ›
Camp Famous by Jennifer Blecher is a heartwarming middle grade book about a "normal" girl who discovers that the best way to be happy and make friends is to be herself. Ironically, it took her going to a camp for famous kids that makes her realize it.
What are the values of camp? ›
The Value of Camp
- Sense of Self: Perceived Competence, Independence, Responsibility.
- Sense of Community: Camp Connectedness, Friendship Skills, Teamwork.
- Sense of the Earth: Affinity for Nature, Interest in Exploration.
- Sense of Wonder: Family Citizenship, Problem Solving Competence.
On social media, the term "camp" can refer to a particular aesthetic or style characterized by being deliberately exaggerated, theatrical, ironic, and often kitschy/over-the-top.
Anything you describe as "so bad it's good" is probably campy. Many fans of over-the-top, campy films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, for example, find them wonderfully funny and strange. The early 20th-century slang meaning of camp was simply "tasteless," with campy emerging in the late 1950s.
What is campy urban dictionary? ›
From the Urban Dictionary: “Camp” n. or “Campy” adj. refers to intentionally exaggerated thematic or genre elements, especially in television and motion picture mediums. “Camp” style willfully over-emphasizes certain elements of the genre or theme, creating an almost self-satirical milieu.
What is the camp endocrine system? ›
Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a common second messenger that is regulated by the activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and mediates numerous biological responses.
What is camp in cell biology? ›
Cyclic adenosine monophosphate is a small, hydrophilic molecule commonly known as cyclic AMP or cAMP, which is an important intracellular second messenger molecule regulated in many physiological processes. [
What is the role of the camp? ›
cAMP is a second messenger, used for intracellular signal transduction, such as transferring into cells the effects of hormones like glucagon and adrenaline, which cannot pass through the plasma membrane. It is also involved in the activation of protein kinases.
What is camp in the army? ›
A military camp or bivouac is a semi-permanent military base, for the lodging of an army. Camps are erected when a military force travels away from a major installation or fort during training or operations, and often have the form of large campsites.
