London Queer Social Centre opens in squatted Joy store, Coldharbour Lane, Brixton

[ddraig]

wrt to people in pics

i can see both sides here
yes it is on the street and in the public domain
yes the organisation and people involved may have linked to an item with the pics
yes it can look a bit sinister with loads of blurred faces

it is just seen as good form when posting pics of activists you don't have explicit consent from
not quite the same but in Cardiff recently a full face pic of an anti fa activist had to be requested to be removed from a photographers pics of a wider demo as despite it being in public it is often not worth the risk of doing the bastards job for them.

good luck to the centre and people involved, strength to them

 

[TopCat]

So, completely ignore my points. Refuse to think about the issue and just carry on regardless.

You can do better than this.

Remove head from arse.

 

[CH1]

I noticed there was some sort of temporary lighting in there a few minutes ago when I passed. Certainly enough for meetings and presumably the scheduled non-alcoholic dance party.

No news on the website whether they will be showing those esoteric gay squat films originally promised for Wednesday.

 

[kittyP]

*haven't read the whole thread*
We were walking past Tuesday evening, it looked like they were moving out but they were actually moving back in or moving more stuff in.
We stopped to have a chat.
They were so lovely.
I fear I was a little pissed and slightly embarrassed my self with enthusiasm for their cause but they were very lovely.

 

[kittyP]

Yeh the assumption means only gay comes up a lot. Pride was first started by Stonewall was it not (?) And is meant to be all encompassing not just about homosexuality. Even the LGBT label doesn't fit for a lot of 'queer' peoples.

They squatted The Duchy Pub last year.

We told them that we were a straight couple but had friends of different persuasions. (I hope it didn't come off as "I've got black friends" kinda thing) and they told us about what they were offering and that we were welcome.

 

[Dan U]

good luck to them, bold choice of building. hope they string it out as long as possible.

 

[editor]

I'm hearing nothing but good things about the place. I'd rather them than a Premier Inn.

 

[friendofdorothy]

I noticed there was some sort of temporary lighting in there a few minutes ago when I passed. Certainly enough for meetings and presumably the scheduled non-alcoholic dance party.

No news on the website whether they will be showing those esoteric gay squat films originally promised for Wednesday.

They must have some sort of temp electric, they were still cut off, but were showing a movie on thursday night.
We chatted to them briefly last night - it seems to be going well for them.

 

[friendofdorothy]

if you do hear about them showing the gay squat films please let me know - I'd like to see them

 

[CH1]

if you do hear about them showing the gay squat films please let me know - I'd like to see them

Apparently they are planning to show them tonight (Sunday) from 8 pm - interspersed with poetry etc.
Sorry about the short notice - only found out just now about 6.30pm.

 

[Orang Utan]

I had a look there yesterday.
Lots of great info on the windows and a busy programme of varied and interesting activities. They know what they are doing. Good on them and good luck to them - how they get to stay there for a while.
Incidentally, there was quite a big notice on taking photos of people. They ask that people seek consent. I took a couple of photos but not of people.

 

[Orang Utan]

This is amusing. It seems the gentrification debate has been going on for some time:

Sorry for shit framing

 

[friendofdorothy]

Apparently they are planning to show them tonight (Sunday) from 8 pm - interspersed with poetry etc.
Sorry about the short notice - only found out just now about 6.30pm.

what a shame I won't be able to make it - I have to be up early tomorrow. But thanks for letting me know

 

[CH1]

what a shame I won't be able to make it - I have to be up early tomorrow. But thanks for letting me know

You may not have missed it.
I turned up and by 9 o'clock they had an image on the screen, but no sound. They were using a laptop, a battery powered digital projector, but presumably hadn't got the sound sorted.

So we then had Sarah reciting poems, with Bez at the piano.

Then Julia - who described her family background as somewhat like Jeanette Winterson's did some poems - finishing with one about being dumped to catalogue names on gravestones in a cemetery in Wales (her father had aspirations to serve the genealogy market amongst American tourists).

Final bit (for me) was an extraordinary piece of performance art. I don't think we were given a name for the artist. He came on naked apart from a flimsy toga and he had an array of unlit joss sticks in his hand. First move was to light them all and plant them in a mount of clay at his feet.

The performance space was covered in plastic sheeting, and the artist had a large water container and a large mound of clay to work with.

He proceeded to dollop large quantities of clay on his face - producing an effect somewhat akin to a Francis Bacon screaming pope. He continued to build the mass of the now blank face, then distort it. Then he had paint or black ink which he used to create new eye and mouth and nose effects.

How he kept breathing properly with the constantly changing mass of clay on his face I don't know. As the shape kept morphing, he then picked up another prop - and sort of fibrous material looking like hair, so he then played with different distorted faces with rather lank dead hair - which put me in mind of what a corpse might look like, or indeed a zombie.

I should add he was contorting his body somewhat to match the contortions of the built up face.

Towards the end of the show it got quite sinister (IMHO): he formed the clay and hair into horns in the manner of satanic beast and finally picked up all the lighted joss sticks and put them in his "hair" like a picture of Blackbeard or maybe an Alistair Crowley demonic creature.

Final act was to plunge his head into the water (which at least saved calling the fire brigade).

I was quite taken (and taken aback) by this performance. Wish I knew who did it. I would never ever normally see such a thing, but I must say you have to admire this guy's stamina (the performance went on well over half an hour I should say) and he must have practised a hell of a lot.

Thank you House of Brag for an interesting evening!

 

[thatguyhex]

Has anyone complained or asked for their photos to be blurred? Why no they haven't.

I'm in two of them and it's fine with me.

 

[Badgers]

Popped in today and met some great people. Heard some good non-football (sorry ) poetry and enjoyed the evening. The venue is really clean, tidy and organised for a squat so fair play to them.

Took a pic with no people involved but a glimpse down Coldharbour Lane I would not have got otherwise.

 

[editor]

Update:
Eviction notices handed over to squatters in the Queer Social Centre on Coldharbour Lane

 

[thatguyhex]

Technically it's not an eviction notice, but notice of a court hearing on the 23rd for an interim possession order. Should one be granted by the court, House of Brag will need to vacate the premises within 24 hours. Given that all of 15 minutes have been allotted to the hearing, I imagine the order will be granted. Unsurprising but sad nonetheless.

 

[Thimble Queen]

I hope they are able to set up again somewhere nearby. I've really enjoyed the time I've spent in their space.

 

[ibilly99]

You may not have missed it.
I turned up and by 9 o'clock they had an image on the screen, but no sound. They were using a laptop, a battery powered digital projector, but presumably hadn't got the sound sorted.

So we then had Sarah reciting poems, with Bez at the piano.

Then Julia - who described her family background as somewhat like Jeanette Winterson's did some poems - finishing with one about being dumped to catalogue names on gravestones in a cemetery in Wales (her father had aspirations to serve the genealogy market amongst American tourists).

Final bit (for me) was an extraordinary piece of performance art. I don't think we were given a name for the artist. He came on naked apart from a flimsy toga and he had an array of unlit joss sticks in his hand. First move was to light them all and plant them in a mount of clay at his feet.

The performance space was covered in plastic sheeting, and the artist had a large water container and a large mound of clay to work with.

He proceeded to dollop large quantities of clay on his face - producing an effect somewhat akin to a Francis Bacon screaming pope. He continued to build the mass of the now blank face, then distort it. Then he had paint or black ink which he used to create new eye and mouth and nose effects.

How he kept breathing properly with the constantly changing mass of clay on his face I don't know. As the shape kept morphing, he then picked up another prop - and sort of fibrous material looking like hair, so he then played with different distorted faces with rather lank dead hair - which put me in mind of what a corpse might look like, or indeed a zombie.

I should add he was contorting his body somewhat to match the contortions of the built up face.

Towards the end of the show it got quite sinister (IMHO): he formed the clay and hair into horns in the manner of satanic beast and finally picked up all the lighted joss sticks and put them in his "hair" like a picture of Blackbeard or maybe an Alistair Crowley demonic creature.

Final act was to plunge his head into the water (which at least saved calling the fire brigade).

I was quite taken (and taken aback) by this performance. Wish I knew who did it. I would never ever normally see such a thing, but I must say you have to admire this guy's stamina (the performance went on well over half an hour I should say) and he must have practised a hell of a lot.

Thank you House of Brag for an interesting evening!

I would have loved to have seen it but it seems to have ruffled a few boas...


Slightly delayed but much needed apology.
Posted on July 10, 2014 by houseofbrag
We’d like to apologise again for Sunday night’s breach of the safer spaces policy during a performance piece by artist Jakamo. Due to a huge over sight on our part there was lack of communication about the nature of the piece which several of the crew would have objected to happening, had we known.

It’s against our politics and personal values to tolerate racism, cultural appropriation, transmisogyny and femmephobia. We also believe there should have been a previous warning for nudity. We are deeply sorry these things happened in a performance we arranged. We’d also like to thank the members of our crew who were able to speak out immediately after the performance and offer people a separate space for self care and validation.

This has prompted a long overdue re-evaluation of how we communicate and interact as a collective to ensure that marginalised voices aren’t overlooked and similar fuck ups don’t happen.

 

[CH1]

I would have loved to have seen it but it seems to have ruffled a few boas...


Slightly delayed but much needed apology.
Posted on July 10, 2014 by houseofbrag
We’d like to apologise again for Sunday night’s breach of the safer spaces policy during a performance piece by artist Jakamo. Due to a huge over sight on our part there was lack of communication about the nature of the piece which several of the crew would have objected to happening, had we known.

It’s against our politics and personal values to tolerate racism, cultural appropriation, transmisogyny and femmephobia. We also believe there should have been a previous warning for nudity. We are deeply sorry these things happened in a performance we arranged. We’d also like to thank the members of our crew who were able to speak out immediately after the performance and offer people a separate space for self care and validation.

This has prompted a long overdue re-evaluation of how we communicate and interact as a collective to ensure that marginalised voices aren’t overlooked and similar fuck ups don’t happen.

I think the bit they are referring to was when he built up clay breasts on his chest. I found that a bit common-place compared to the very distorted faces he was creating, so I quite forgot when I was writing my account of the performance. I didn't notice any racism or cultural appropriation though - unless the performance was partly based on "The Serpent and the Rainbow"

 

[Sister Midnight]

I missed all this! What is happening there now?
I thought an upmarket supermarket might open there (Waitrose rumours and all that) but it's still shut while Joy has already reopened on Acre Lane...

 

[editor]

I missed all this! What is happening there now?
I thought an upmarket supermarket might open there (Waitrose rumours and all that) but it's still shut while Joy has already reopened on Acre Lane...

All evicted, I'm afraid.

 

[Rushy]

"The Serpent and the Rainbow"

Looked it up. You're not referring to the picture book of aboriginal dreaming stories I had as a kid.

 

[CH1]

Looked it up. You're not referring to the picture book of aboriginal dreaming stories I had as a kid.

Unfortunately not - this was a graphic but unillustrated book by Wade Davis about experiences in Haiti which was later adapted by Wes Craven into a film (quite a good one in my opinion - better than Nightmare on Elm Street etc etc)

 

[Sister Midnight]

Is the former-Joy becoming another part of the prince of Wales? Lots of builders in there and the licence app said something about a hotel! (I know that POW's previous incarnation, Decks, had a few rooms but assumed that died in its arse ... Maybe there's more demand now Brixton is fashionable??)

 

[SpamMisery]

A Premier Inn I think

 

[Sister Midnight]

Oh no!