Feminism vs Dirty Fan Mail at The Barge House
The Barge House in London will take part in Open House 2017 this September, with a series of progressive and provocative salon talks and exhibitions showcasing the building’s illustrious past.
Set on a piece of bustling towpath along the famous Regent’s Canal, The Barge House is steeped in rich East London history. The building once served as a print house for adult-only magazines, as well as being forever immortalised as the site of Alexander McQueen’s very first design studio. Fashion, design and architecture have all begun to thrive in this corner of Hackney, giving a nod to the area’s infamously creative and industrious past.
The Open House weekend will see the iconic Barge House taken back to its original heritage, with the Bar, Mezzanine, and Event Lounge transformed into gallery and performance spaces in celebration of the building’s infamous past. A series of progressive and, at times, provocative salon talks brings history into the modern day, with discussions and discourse of Sex and Business guaranteeing informative and stimulating evenings.
An audio installation of Dirty Fan Male – a witty narration of a Page 3 Model’s fan mail – will keep the bar guests entertained, while an exhibition of David O’Sullivan’s racy 1980’s prints is set to grace the walls of the Event Lounge. Militant feminist ensemble, The Sisters of Perpetual Resistance, are scheduled to raise eyebrows with their notorious showpiece, Too Ugly for Words, as the stage is set for Alabama 3’s Nick Reynolds – son of the late, great train robber, Bruce Reynolds.
(the below clip has very nsfw audio)
The highlight of the whole affair will, no doubt, be the neo-cabaret stylings of Veronica Thomson, AKA Fancy Chance. A born exhibitionist with an unsolved past, her intimate piece – From Abandonment to Burlesque – is an exploration of a painfully personal story, charting her path from orphan to dancer.
A controversial programme set in an intimate, contemporary bijoux space, this Open House weekend is one of the festival’s most risqué line-ups yet. Full programme TBA soon.
Open House London takes place on the 16th and 17th September 2017, and will see The Barge House opening its doors from 10AM – 11PM (Saturday 16th) and 10AM – 9PM (Sunday 17th). Guests on the Open House Trail will receive a 10% discount on food and drink, with last entry one hour before closing.
Full program to be announced. For more details, head to the Facebook event page.
