Homotopia

Homotopia, Liverpool’s festival by and for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, will open on 1st November and offer visitors a variety of events including theatre, film, art, performance, photography, heritage and storytelling until the 19th. The festival was founded in 2004 and is now in its third edition.

You can download a copy of the festival programme here (pdf file, 11Mb).

Homotopia

Arte e omosessualità

The exhibition Art and Homosexuality, from Van Gloeden to Pierre et Gilles opened last Saturday in Florence, Italy. Until 6 January 2008, 220 works by 150 artists will be on display in the Royal Palace.

The exhibition, originally organized for another city, Milan, and another venue, Palazzo della Ragione, reopens now in Florence after the censorship that closed it immediately after its opening in July this year.

Promoted by Vittorio Sgarbi, curated by Eugenio Viola and organized by Artematica, this exhibition, the most extensive of its kind ever staged in Italy, presents an investigation of the connections between art and homosexuality in the period stretching from the birth of photography through to the present day.

The visual representation of subjects closely associated with homoeroticism is present throughout the history of humanity, although the cultural values it expresses and the underlying meanings are naturally the reflection of the specific historical and socio-cultural contexts. Scenes with homoerotic contents appear on the vases of ancient Greece and in the Persian bas-reliefs, at the dawn of eastern art, in the Italian Renaissance and in the Baroque period. A subtle fil rouge that by way of short circuits and fundamental passages reaches the present day, developing independently and long before the advent of the modern concept of gender’s diversity.

However, what should we identify with the term “homoerotic art”? Works created by artists of whose homosexuality we are certain and in which frequently, but not necessarily, we find something that references an homoerotic taste? Or should we consider the work of artists who are not officially homosexual but whose creations reveal an extraordinary eroticism that encourages such an interpretation? Departing from the homosexuality of an artist for the interpretation of his/her work triggers a series of particularly thorny questions. Knowledge of the (homo)sexual orientation of the artist generally alerts us to the possible presence of a metaphorical representation of homosexuality. What kind of relationship is established between the biography of the artist and the interpretation of his/her work?

The criteria for the selection of the works exhibited does not consider this relationship, but is instead based on the specific characteristics of the individual works, identifying, beyond the conventional identities of gender, a thematic strand within a common mode of feeling, of expressing states of being, attitudes and emotions, without any claim to define the canons of a “homosexual specific” within the art. On the basis of this approach, a number of works exhibit openly homoerotic contents, while in others this is expressed obliquely through specific codes, symbols, allusions, allegories and metaphors. An itinerary that from the Arcadian photographs of Baron von Gloeden explores the territories of homoerotic photography, from Herb Ritts and Bruce Weber to Mapplethorpe, from Jack Pierson to Bruce Labruce, with a glance at the camp aesthetic of James Bidgood revived in more recent years by David Lachapelle. Artists who are working in a historical period in which it is possible to freely treat gay, lesbian or transgender themes, presenting anxieties and questions that are preponderant and frequently crucial for much of the art of the end of the last century and the opening of the new millennium.

An exemplary itinerary of images through the evolution of perception and the consequent representation of existential diversity, from Carol Rama to David Hockney and Andy Warhol, by way of the roaming identities of Ugo Rondine, Yasumasa Moritura and Eva & Adele, highlighting the work of the latest generation of artists who use homoerotic love as an expedient for questioning superstructures of race, desire, gender and sexual identity and braking down the conventional distinctions between art, eroticism and pornography.

See Also:
Art and Homosexuality - cplonline (includes pictures)

Art and Homosexuality.
From Von Gloeden to Pierre et Gilles
Palazzina Reale of Santa Maria Novella
Piazza Adua 50
Florence, Italy
27 October 2007 – 6 January 2008

Queer discipline:

a series of research seminars on queer studies and interdisciplinarity

29 October * 5.15pm * Room 238 (English Dept Common Room)

Matt Cook (History, Birkbeck)
‘Homes fit for homos: Joe Orton and the Domesticated Queer’

all seminars are held on the Strand Campus of King’s College London

queer discipline 2007–08 is convened by Mark Turner (English, KCL) on behalf of the Queer@King’s research centre

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OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST…

**Next Critical Sexology Seminar***

7 November 2007: International Approaches to Bisexuality
2-6 pm
London South Bank University, Keyworth Centre, K405/6
(www.lsbu.ac.uk/about/maps.shtml)

Organised by Meg Barker (meg@megbarker.com)

To be chaired by Alessandra Iantaffi (researcher on bisexuality and therapist)

Speakers:
Ron Fox (Professor in Psychology, Saybrook Graduate School , San Francisco )
"International Perspectives on Bisexuality: Documenting and Preserving
History in the Making"

Matthew Waites (Lecturer in Sociology, Dept. of Sociology,
Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences, University of Glasgow )
"Bisexuality, 'Sexual Orientation' and Human Rights: The Global
Politics of Sexual Identities"

Clare Hemmings (Senior Lecturer in Gender Theory and Gender Studies,
London School of Economics)
"Bisexuality and Queer Transnationalism "

The seminar will be preceded by a morning of related events, namely a
series of presentations and workshops by and for PhD students and
others researching bisexuality. This will take place in room K605.

Critical Sexology is co-organised by Meg Barker ( meg@megbarker.com)
and Lisa Downing ( L.M.Downing@exeter.ac.uk)

Morning of Related Events (9.30am-1pm) Keyworth Centre Room K605

9.30-11.00 – five 15 minute presentations

Toni Brennan – Charlotte Wolf and the history of bisexual research

Robin Cackett - The Freud-Fliess-Controversy or: Investments in
Bisexuality in Early Psychoanalysis

Helen Bowes-Catton – 'Swordfighting, Drag Kings, and Cuddles-
Embodying Identity in 'spectacular' bisexual space

Christian Klesse – Personal identities and sexuality research: on
reflexivity and positionality

Alex Toft – Bisexual Christians: The Lived Experiences of a
Marginalised Community

11.30-1.00
Workshop on the links and tensions between bi academic research and
queer theory, bi activism and queer activism. Facilitated by Camel
Gupta and Meg Barker

Critical Sexology holds three seminars yearly. It is co-organised by Lisa Downing and Meg Barker. Visit our website for news of future events: http://www.criticalsexology.org.uk

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Centre for South East Asian Studies Seminar series .

Seminar
Date: Thursday, 29 November 2007
Time: 5-7pm
Title: Le Hoang’s (fallen) angels: women, gender and power in Bargirls (2003), Street Cinderella (2004) and Thieves of heart (2005)
Speaker: Dr Tess Do ( University of Melbourne )
Venue: G51, Main Building , SOAS
Contact: Ben Murtagh (bm10@soas.ac.uk) or Jane Savory (js64@soas.ac.uk)

Seminar
Centre of South East Asian Studies and the Centre of Gender Studies, SOAS
Date: Thursday, 6 December 2007
Time: 5-7pm
Title: Lesbians in the metropolis: fatal attraction in two Indonesian movies from the early 1990s
Speaker: Dr Ben Murtagh (SOAS)
Venue: G51, Main Building , SOAS
Contact: Ben Murtagh (bm10@soas.ac.uk) or Jane Savory (js64@soas.ac.uk)

Batty Man

Comedian and actor Stephen K Amos uses his own experiences as a black gay man to explore why homophobia still exists in his own community.

This observational documentary by Channel 4 learning – the title of which is a derogatory term for homosexuals – follows Amos on a journey from his childhood homes in Brixton and Tooting, South London, all the way to Jamaica, where he tries to discover why prejudice, intimidation and violence against gay men remain so prevalent.

Amos canvasses the opinions of young people in London, and of audiences on the comedy circuit. In Kingston, he talks to several young people who are living in fear of their lives, and to some of the dancehall musicians whose lyrics preach hate and violence against gays.

Will he learn something on this journey about how attitudes might be changed for the benefit of the next generation of young, black gay men?

Outline, background, clips, activities and learning programme notes for the programme can be found here.

The programme is available to view and (for teachers) to download on Teachers TV here.

Launch of the Gender Trust Helpline

The LGBT Advisory Group to the Met Police project based at GALOP is launching the Gender Trust Helpline. Although the launch is in Brighton, the service will be a national one.

The National Helpline is the first ever for anyone in the UK affected by gender identity issues who are in need of support, information and a listening ear.

Wednesday 7th November, 2007, 18:30
The Brighthelm Centre
North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YD

Guest Speaker: Trans pioneer - Adele Anderson: Founder member of world renowned singing group Fascinating Aida

Attendace requires RSVP email to info@gendertrust.org.uk
Call 01273 234024 for more information.

GALOP and the LGBT AG aim to facilitate communication between LGBT forums across the London boroughs. Forums can provide a space to canvass and articulate the views of LGBT people and to bring the gap between policy makers, practitioners and service users.

Celebrating a Lesbian Life

This exhibition, created by Val Dunn, is an extrodinary example of the inspirational work that can be done for an event during February's LGBT History Month.

"For this exhibition I have selected people and events that have shaped my life as a lesbian. The Bin represents things gladly rejected or left behind, Celebrations are moments of freedom and events and organisations that have made or make my life enjoyable. In the middle panel I have chosen some of my icons, people or places that have influenced, sustained, or pleased me. I have selected only those brave women who have ‘come out’, that is they have voluntarily said that they are lesbian and live with the consequences – not any easy thing to do.

This exhibition was originally produced as part of Pride in the House at Lauderdale House, Highgate in July 2003. It was called ‘Over the Rainbow – a showcase of work by seven older gay and lesbian artists’. I just want to reiterate here that without the assistance of Heike Lowenstein my chosen graphics would not have been realised so well.

When I responded to the invitation in the paper I did wonder whether it was good idea to expose myself in this way, especially in a setting local to me. However, having decided to do it, I enjoyed the process of thinking how I might present myself. I couldn’t imagine doing a video and, after talking about alternative possibilities with the other participants, I decided to concentrate on showing those things I was glad to reject and those I wanted to celebrate. The format presented itself from an idea I had to do with fridge magnets! Then when we were choosing the dinner party guests I discovered that the other participants didn’t know the people I was familiar with, so I decided to include my own icons in my presentation. My mood swung from elation to deep gloom as the weeks went on with many sleepless nights. Not knowing how it would look until the last minute made me particularly anxious. It was just as well I didn’t know how much work I had given myself to do at the last moment! I enjoyed the preview and showing my friends round the exhibition. My twin said she was touched that I had included her in my celebrations!

I was pleased to have the opportunity to take part in this exhibition. Something I had never done before. So I thank the funders, the staff at Lauderdale House and all the facilitators, but especially Heike of course. When we talked about the project I couldn’t imagine how the installation of the exhibition could be achieved and I am full of admiration for the way that everyone worked to make it the success it was."
-Val Dunn

With the Pre-Launch a few weeks away and Feburary just around the corner, it is perfect timing to starting planning and thinking about your upcoming events. Our newly launched forum www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/Forum is an exciting and interactive space to talk about future and past events.

Dumbledore's Outing a Mixed Blessing

While crowds cheered last week at the announcement by JK Rowling that her character Dumbledore was gay, Time Magazine's John Cloud feels a little more reserved about the news. After a quick overview of suggested gay characters in Sci-fi. Cloud wonders what the late outing means in his article Put Dumbledore Back in the Closet.

AIDS: The Dark Muse

Aids is the biggest phenomenon of the last 30 years.

It has affected every aspect of our lives - political, domestic, cultural and emotional.

This event will explore - through personal testimony, expert talks, screenings and performance - the impact of Aids on lesbian and gay culture, looking both at what we've gained and what we've lost.

AIDS: The Dark Muse
Drill Hall, London
28 October - 4pm
www.drillhall.co.uk/pl290.html

I, Too by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.

Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—

I, too, am America.

York Lesbian Arts Festival

The York Lesbian Arts Festival, comprising three events, will be taking place on 27-28th October .

The Book Festival will run from 9:30am to 5:30pm at York Racecourse and will feature authors and artists from the UK and USA. Guests include: Val McDermid, Stella Duffy, Rhona Cameron, Manda Scott, Sarah Waters, Jackie Kay, Helen Sandler, Crin Claxton, Jane Fletcher, Charlotte Mendelson, Jennifer Fulton, Marianne K Martin, Ellen Dean, Tricia Walker, Fiona Cooper, VG Lee, Jenny Roberts, Inge Blackman, Julie McNamara and Shelley Silas. Julie McNamara will be compering the Open mic slot, where artists can step up and read/perform their work. There will also be a series of short performance events.

As dusk settles over the racecourse the party continues with Club DIVA. Its the UK's biggest lesbian dance party with two floors of great music. 8:30-2am. With DJs Sadie Lee (Lower the Tone), Claude Cunningham (Black Angel) and DJ Ad Astra (Vanilla).

On Sunday lunchtime York City Centre rocks to the sound of lesbian performers at the outdoor Street Concert, 12 noon-1:30pm. Claire Mooney, Deep C Diva’s, Secret’s Out and Helen Sandler already confirmed. This event is entirely FREE.

Book Festival £22, Club DIVA £14.
Prices on the door: Book Festival £25. Club Diva £15.
More details on www.ylaf.org.uk

Disabled access is good, women are being asked to fill in an access questionnaire to ensure YLAF can meet their needs. The Book Festival is open to all women and men as guests of women. Club DIVA is women-only. Trans and intersex people are welcome. The Street Concert is open to all, including children.

Click on the image just above to view the flyer for the Festival.