In 1950, Arthur Nobile used the bacteria Corynebacterium simplex to transform cortisone into prednisone. I took 200 milligrams of it while traveling during the spring of 2023 to fight a rash that bloomed across my arms, torso, and legs.
Prednisone attempts to understand how the corticosteroid—and my fleeting attempts at unpacking heritage—both healed my body and bore witness to my own self-destructive practices. The film, as my therapist suggested, is narrative medicine.
The piece collages footage from travels across Europe, a stress rash across my body, and scans of childhood ephemera. It discusses the Best Little Boy In the World syndrome, coined in 1977 by Andrew Tobias that argues queer children hide the shame of their sexuality by being perfect at everything they do, which often leads to an anxious attachment to image and perception. Its score is a collection of four new audio works that distort, slow, and layer the traditional Gaelic song Dúlamán and Scottish-based Ossian’s Rory Dall's Sister's Lament (1984).
Filmed and shot by Daniel Sharp
Narrated by Daniel Sharp
Scored by Daniel Sharp
