Pro
Graham Kolbeins
Biography
Graham Kolbeins is a Canadian queer filmmaker, writer, and designer living in Los Angeles. He's the director of the short film The House of Gay Art, and the co-director, with Dorian Wood, of the short film PAISA. His documentary web series, Rad Queers, profiled subjects including trans artist Edie Fake and Latinx leather organization Payasos L.A. The Japan-U.S. Friendship Council named Kolbeins a recipient of their Creative Artists Exchange Fellowship in 2016, and he subsequently spent five months directing Queer Japan, a feature documentary about sexuality and gender identity in Japan. Along with Chip Kidd and Anne Ishii, Kolbeins is the co-editor of two books on Japanese gay art: The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame and Fantagraphics’ Eisner-nominated anthology, Massive: Gay Erotic Manga and the Men Who Make It. The team also collaborated on Koyama Press’ English-language edition of What Is Obscenity?, a graphic memoir by Rokudenashiko chronicling her arrest on obscenity charges for making 3D printed art using a digital scan of her own vulva. Kolbeins is the co-founder and creative director of the apparel brand MASSIVE GOODS, which makes fashion, print projects, and international tours with queer and feminist artists from Japan. MASSIVE has highlighted the work of manga artists including Jiraiya and Gengoroh Tagame through a string of successful collaborations with global fashion brands Opening Ceremony and Mishka NYC. As a videographer, Kolbeins has worked with a number of acclaimed performance and multimedia artists including Ron Athey, Cassils, Fanaa, and Rafa Esparza; musicians San Cha and Dorian Wood; and playwright Virginia Grise. His latest web series, Stretching with Graham Kolbeins, is hosted by the filmmaker on a pink yoga mat and exists at the nexus of fitness, body positivity, and political discourse.