Bleeding glitter

In the mid to late 2000s, Liam Benson processed the social disconnection he felt as a gay man living in Western Sydney by turning the camera on himself. He adopted masculine and feminine personas in staged photographs taken by family members and his friend and collaborator Naomi Oliver, intending to better understand gender stereotypes and sexual identity.

Benson also alluded to toxic traits of masculinity, such as homophobia and alcohol-fuelled violence, in his self-portraiture. For example, in 'VB sticker' he depicted his mouth sealed shut by a beer label, suggesting he was afraid or incapable of openly expressing his sexual orientation in social settings for fear of homophobic discrimination or abuse. 'Bleeding glitter', which portrayed Benson exhibiting visible signs of physical or emotional trauma with glitter-specked blood trickling down from his nostrils, addressed this threat directly.

By emulating the preened appearance and seductive poses of male models in 'VB sticker' and 'Bleeding glitter', Benson additionally commented on the exploitation of male sexuality in advertising, the media and the fashion industry.