Diva Debate 2015

The world is on fire. New forms of political activism have exploded on to the scene and forever altered the way the powerful relate to the powerless. From #blacklivesmatter to the refugee crisis stemming from the Middle East to the spectre of Jeremy Corbyn, the political landscape is shifting in ways that are both intriguing and alarming. At the same time, QTPOC (Queer, Trans, people of colour) artists have been responding and contributing to this new wave. Through a discussion about impactful queer artworks from recent history, this panel will explore the artistic climate – interrogating and exploring the trends, themes and ideas shaping queer art in the UK and abroad.

Come to listen and debate with Diva editor Jane Czyzselka and a panel chaired by poet Jay Bernard and featuring film-makers Campbell X and Claire Kurylowski, and multi-disciplinary artists Evan Ifekoya and Marcia X.

Jay Bernard is a film programmer at BFI Flare, and author of two books of poetry: English Breakfast (2013) and Your Sign is Cuckoo, Girl (2014). Jay recently co-created 100, a three-site installation of one hundred mini-poems commissioned by TFL, was digital poet in residence for the Poetry School and writes a regular column for DIVA magazine.

Campbell X is an award-winning filmmaker/curator who has written/produced and directed the queer urban romcom feature film Stud Life (2012) which was awarded the Screen Nations Independent Spirit Award (2013) and the Best Black LGBT film in the Hotter Than July Film Festival (2013). Campbell’s body of work was honoured by the Queer Black Cinema festival in New York in March 2009. Image, Memory and Representation was also a retrospective of work which was programmed at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 2007.
In 2013 Campbell was selected to be on the jury for Short films for Outfest LGBT film Festival in Los Angeles. Campbell is on the jury for MIX Copenhagen in 2015.
Campbell has written published short stories and articles on film, sexuality and gende and is developing a second feature film Low Rider whilst currently shooting an experimental short on desire and masculine embodiment

Evan Ifekoya is an interdisciplinary artist, exploring the politicisation of culture, society and aesthetics. Appropriated material from historical archives and contemporary society make up the work. By ‘queerying’ popular imagery and utilising the props of everyday life, the aim is to destroy the aura of preciousness surrounding art. Central to this practice is an exploration into the ways that collaboration might take place. Recent Exhibitions include All Of Us Have A Sense Of Rhythm, David Roberts Art Foundation, London (2015), Embodied Spaces, FramerFramed, De Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam (2015), Studio Voltaire OPEN, London (2015) and 30 years of the Future, Castlefield Gallery, Manchester (2014). Recent performances have taken place at David Roberts Art Foundation​ and ​Tate Modern​, London​ as well as​ The Marlborough, Brighton ​and De Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam​ ​​(all 201​5​).

Claire Kurylowski is a London-based filmmaker. In March 2015 she became an inaugural filmmaker of the BFI Flare Pilot Mentorship scheme, an initiative for five emerging LGBTQ filmmakers to develop their practice mentored by a senior figure from the film industry. Kurylowski’s latest short film, In Real Life (2014) a feminist social inquiry into the pervasive nature of sexual harassment, garnered a place in Dazed Digital’s Visionaries and had its cinema premiere at the ICA London. Kurylowski also is the head curator and founder behind ‘kuntinuum’ a quarterly London based artist run salon (discussion group) which aims to promote, empower and corral the voices of queer-female and non-binary gendered identified creatives.

Marcia X was born and raised in Chicago IL to immigrant parents in 1985. Inspired by her early travels to the Caribbean and US history and politics, she predominantly works in themes relating to the experience of the Diaspora, history, feminism, politics and socioeconomic issues. As a multidisciplinary artist, her mediums vary from print to installation, and currently is exploring minimalist abstract painting. She has her BA in Fine Art and is furthering her studies to attain an MA in Political, Social and International Theory. She lives and works in the Diaspora.

Jane Czyzselska is the editor of DIVA magazine and contributes to a range of media and other publications. She is interested in the intersection of politics/culture and psychotherapy – the psychosocial – and she is also a qualified and practicing psychotherapeutic counsellor. @czyzselska

Видео Diva Debate 2015 канала homotopiafestival