Portraits in the Attic

Beginning with Oscar Wilde’s incarceration, Sacha Coward will explore the ways in which gothic literature and horror has been informed by sexual transgression; why were so many gothic writers queer, and why have queer folk historically been so drawn to stories with tragic endings, ghosts and decaying grandeur? Also, what was the impact of Oscar Wilde’s life, death and imprisonment on other writers and creators then and now?

Finally, he will explore the connection that has repeatedly been drawn between LGBTQ+ people and death in general, from the murders of Whitechapel, Victorian spiritual mediums, all the way to Disney villains.

For better and often worse, why do queer folk find themselves so closely embroiled in dark narratives, and at what cost?

Sacha Coward has worked in museums and heritage for over 10 years. For the past three years, he has been freelancing as an historian, public speaker, and researcher. He has run LGBTQ+ focused tours for museums, cemeteries, archives, and cities around the world. Last year he published his first book ‘Queer As Folklore’ an exploration of myths and monsters from a queer perspective.

Queer as Folklore is Sacha’s first book.