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BODY OF WORK: A Queer art documentary

BODY OF WORK is a feature-length documentary exploring the line between self expression and self exploitation in the world of performance art. Centering the collaborative relationship between queer artists Gina Cornejo (she/they) and Lonesome Bill Walker (he/him), this documentary will follow the lifespan of an experimental theater piece from concept to production. With practices based in endurance, dialogue, and play, the film will not only produce a portrait of the two artists in conversation with these themes, but highlight a larger tension between the body as a medium to be explored and a resource to be exploited.

Americana Peruana Cornejo’s experience as an experimental writer, immersive storyteller, and solo performer collides with the practice of trans, disabled Walker, the self-taught painter and sculptor with a burgeoning interest in performance art. Three years of forcing their wildly different artistic backgrounds into occupying a single, collaborative space results in notebooks full of project proposals of enormous size. Using elements of rage, humor, pleasure, and connection, these concepts encompass puppets, costuming, practical effects, set building, and guerilla public performances. While Cornejo and Walker’s practice fosters a no holds barred approach to art, the question remains: “As artists, where we are forced to give but never take, accomplish but never own, how do we maintain autonomy and dignity while positioned to exploit our physical and creative bodies?”

With a history of producing each other’s exhibitions, co-writing projects together, and making guest appearances in each other’s work, Cornejo and Walker have developed a shared artistic language that has won them recognition in the Milwaukee, WI art world. However, the duo continues to encounter obstacles–arts funding largely lacks opportunities for performance pieces, racism and transphobia color the majority of interactions with curators and spaces, and the burden of scraping together unfunded projects falls on the shoulders of the pair and their supportive but equally overburdened community of fellow queer artists and friends.

Support BODY OF WORK today to capture an unwavering look at Cornejo and Walker’s shared joy, obsessions, and frustrations as they explore the body as a creative–yet finite–medium.

Funding and stretch goals:

  • $5k = pre-production/materials costs

  • $10k = short film length/crew/submissions

  • $15k = feature film length/crew/submission fees

  • $20k+ = feature film/theater production/crew/submission fees

Funds support:

  • Paying a queer and trans cast and crew

  • Materials

  • Travel

  • Application fees

  • Space rental fees

Inspirations:

Storyteller, Solo Performer, Feelings-Haver

Milwaukee-born, Queer-identifying, Americana Peruana writer, immersive storyteller, solo performer and self-proclaimed professional feelings-haver. The daughter of a Peruvian mariachi singer and a Chicago jazz dancer, Gina's love of the arts didn't just start early — it started in her bloodline.

For 17 years, she called Chicago's Teatro Luna home, contributing writing, choreography, and performance to the Jeff Award-winning Latinx/WOC company, even landing on an Audible Original along the way. From her First Draft Residency at Revolve Gallery (2021) and her Story/Arts Residency at Story Parlor (2022) to the stages of the Asheville and Green Bay Fringe Festivals, Gina has taken her raw, unapologetic autobiographical storytelling across the country — and now she's bringing it back to Milwaukee, where it all began.

Painter, Sculptor, Limp-Wristed Devil

California-born, Chicago-living, transsexual menace. With a background in equal parts ditch-digging and disability justice, Lonesome Bill split his time between working on farms across the west coast and in local colleges fighting for students’ rights and a more accessible world. After becoming disillusioned with institutions in 2018 following his departure from the nonprofit world, he took up art-making full time. Since then, Lonesome Bill has worked assisting disabled artists with their studio practices, curating covid-safe gallery events and workshops, and raising over $12k for Milwaukee, WI’s trans community.

Lonesome Bill has been awarded residencies with Cactus Plus, Wedding Cake House, Pocosin School of Fine Craft, and Elsewhere Studios. He curated Tooth & Nail’s 2025 run of gallery exhibitions, brought the all-trans & queer vending event Fruit Bowl to Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood in 2023, and has been performing as the portrait-drawing devil Evil Bill since 2022.