Pride & Prejudice is an exhibition concept begun in 2017 to bring the issue of creative LGBT refugees into the spotlight and to give it a platform as public as possible. LGBT refugees have undergone discrimination, rejection and violence for simply wanting to love freely, which is determined by the Geneva Convention as valid grounds for seeking asylum. They arrive in Europe having also left behind access to job markets and education. Starting anew is hard, but many LGBT refugees are full of hope and creativity.
The central concept of the exhibition is to highlight the talents of various creative LGBT refugees in a setting which is a cross between a pride manifestation, a “group show”, a conceptual installation and a jobs fair. It consists of the work of artists and performers clustered in 10 bedouin-like tents, which together we refer to as a “talent caravanserai”, a reference to travelers who find each other, seek protection and trade stories upon the great human road of migration. Displayed are painters, a sculptor, a singer, a photographer, a DJ, a graphic artist, a dancer (see video) etc. and it includes participants from Iran, Russia, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Trinidad, Morocco and Uganda. In a central “didactic table” there are filmed interviews with each participant, plus maps of the LGBT situation around the world and a board game to lighten things up.
The exhibition is scheduled in two simultaneous locations: the Amstelpassage of the Centraal Station in Amsterdam, and the central library (OBA) on the Oosterdok. After the first run, we are hoping to bring the show on the road in September.
Although we’ve committed to producing this project and have already put a considerable amount of volunteer work into it, we need funds to create the physical body of the show. We approach crowdfunding now to create awareness for our project and to make up the enormous hole in our budget. We need to pay for the space rental, the electronic hardware, the pavilion tents, the lighting, the audio, the PR, printing, transport, and more. We have a total fundraising goal of €20,000. With Pinkstart we hope to appeal to a worldwide public and to collect €10,000.
We’ve already slated for the show to open on June 14, which makes the urgency of our request clear.
Misschien kunt u ons helpen om Oriendam 2018 ” pride & prejudice” tentoonstelling te realiseren. Alvast bedankt!