Gavin Butt's work delves into the intersection of experimental art and performance with popular cultural forms. He critically examines queer club performance, post-punk culture, and the broader landscape of live art and performance art. Butt's scholarship illuminates how these vibrant expressions challenge and reshape our understanding of theatrical and performative practices. His research offers a distinctive lens on the dynamic interplay between avant-garde artistic movements and mass culture.
Gavin Butt tells the story of the post-punk scene in the northern English city of Leeds, showing how bands ranging from Gang of Four, Soft Cell, and Delta 5 to Mekons, Scritti Politti, and Fad Gadget drew on their university art school education to push the boundaries of pop music.