Diaries, Notes and Sketches pt 1: Real-time history writing and the dissemination of queer art.

KL: 18:00–20:00, 15 December,
Index, 2022

Noting the centennial of Lithuanian poet and filmmaker Jonas Mekas, Index will be hosting a three part screening series showing Mekas’ experimental diary film Walden from 1968. Using Walden as a point of departure, the series will spotlight Mekas’ important role as enabler, organizer, connector of people, and devout advocate for art.

When premiering the three hour long Walden, Mekas created a schema, a sort of map guiding viewers through the film. The brief introductory text to the map states that “the Author won’t mind (he is almost encouraging it) if the Viewer will choose to watch only certain parts of the work (film), according to the time available to him, according to his preferences, or any other good reason”. Following this logic, each session will contain the screening of one of Walden’s six reels, followed by a discussion between invited guests.

This first session is inspired by Mekas’ role in creating Anthology Film Archives and his legacy of fighting censorship and championing the work of queer filmmakers. It will focus on building archives for material which has been misrepresented or excluded in traditional writings of history, and methods for promoting and disseminating queer art.

Isabella Tjäder, Curator of Learning at Index, will moderate a discussion between Anna Linder, SAQMI – The Swedish Archive for Queer Moving Images; Augustas Čičelis, Lithuanian Queer Archive; Johan Sundell, Arkivet för Rosa Brus; and Laima Kreivytė, curator, writer and founding member of the queer feminist artists’ collective Cooltūristės.

Time: 18:00 – 20:00
Place: The Swedish Contemporary Art Foundation, Kungsbrostrand 19, Stockholm

Diaries, Notes and Sketches pt 2: Critique, contemplation and editorial outlooks is scheduled for 20 January 2023
Diaries, Notes and Sketches pt 3: Poetic cinema and polyphonic practices is scheduled for 28 January 2023

The series is produced by Index in collaboration with the Lithuanian cultural attaché in Sweden, Finland and Denmark. It is produced in partnership with Lithuanian Culture Institute.

Eva-Lisa’s Monument (Audio Guide & City Walk)

Sam Hultin,
Stockholm, 2019

Eva-Lisa’s Monument (Audio Guide & City Walk)

Audio guide and city walk within the projekt Eva-Lisa’s Monument made by Swedish artist Sam Hultin about the lesbian activist and trans pioneer Eva-Lisa Bengtson (1932-2018).

City walk at Södermalm in Stockholm where several of the places that played important roles in Eva-Lisa’s life were. Lesbisk front’s place at Hallandsgatan, Kvinnohuset (The Women’s house) at Blekingegatan, Jerry’s damklubb (Jerry’s women’s club) at Folkungagatan, the Dutch embassy at Götgatan and Transvestia’s place at Östgötagatan are some of the spots that are visited during the walk.

You find the map to the city walk here >

Eva-Lisa’s Monument is a project that highlights the lesbian activist and trans pioneer Eva-Lisa Bengtson (1932-2018). Eva-Lisa was very active in both the feminist and lesbian movement as well as in the early trans movement in Sweden. In 1964 she started the first club for trans people in Sweden – Transvestia, that from 1965 arranged gatherings in a dancing studio at Östgötagatan in Stockholm. She was also active in Lesbisk front in the 70ies and 80ies and was also one the people who (literally) built Kvinnohuset – The Women’s House at Snickarbacken. Eva-Lisa was later also engaged in RFSL Stockholm and a devoted visitor at both the clubs Lash and Wish as well at Golden Ladies (RFSL’s club for senior queer women).

Eva-Lisa’s story is important in that it’s both a significant part of a history that is relatively undocumented (especially regarding the early trans movement) and also because it speaks about terms for inclusion within norm-breaking communities. Eva-Lisa lost her place in several of the movements where she used to belong. In the trans movement that, in the end of the 60ies, didn’t include transsexuals or gay people, due to strong influences from the transvestite movement in the US where only a very strict definition of transvestism was accepted and then later in the feminist movement when trans women were excluded from Kvinnohuset – The Women’s house in Stockholm. But Eva-Lisa’s life also holds stories about the opposite – examples of people and places where room for more people has been made possible. Where friendship, love, solidarity and a joint struggle against prejudices and an oppressive system has been more important than ignorance and fear of loosing one’s privileges.

After Eva-Lisa’s passing her unique archive containing photos, letters, books, protocols, newsletters and magazines are managed by Sam Hultin. The arcive will in a near future be made accessible for research through QRAB – The Archives and Library of the Queer Movement in Gothenburg.

Photographer: Unknown
Photo: Eva-Lisa Bengtson’s archive

1. Eva-Lisa

2. Sex and Society

3. The Hall of Mirrors

4. Jerry’s Ladies Club

5. ”Weddings”

6. Göta Gille

7. Timmy and Grupp Victoria

8. Lesbisk Front

9. The Women’s Building

10. Club Golden Ladies

11. LN and Lash

12. The Demonstration Outside Kvinnohuset

Subkategorier: Eva-Lisa Bengtson
Kategorier: Dokumentärt

Från ljudarkivet.

Queers Against Fascism

2021

Queers Against Fascism (QAF) är ett nätverk som skapar plattformar för queera antifascister. Sedan 2016 organiserar vi ett block i paraden under Sthlm Pride som samlar tusentals queers varje år. Syftet är att skapa ett brett antifascistiskt block, en slags temporär plats, där vi i rörelsen kan samla våra kamper under den gemensamma parollen Queers Against Fascism och göra paraden till en dag för handling och protest bortom regnbågskapitalismen.

Ta natten tillbaka – en audio walk

Den 8 mars 2021 tog QAF över radio Cyklopens studio och sände radio live under fem timmar. Inför sändningen bad vi olika personer skicka in minnen från tidigare 8 mars och/eller visioner om framtida demonstrationer. Med hjälp av det inskickade materialet skapade vi en audio walk i fem delar som leder lyssnaren längst demonstrations sträckan och vidare ut i natten. Genom dessa minnen och visioner önskar vi minska avståndet mellan oss och komma åt det kollektiva medvetandet samt våga vara sårbara med varandra.

Ta natten tillbaka (TNT) är en separatistisk demonstration som anordnas varje år på 8 mars i flera städer över hela världen. TNT i Stockholm brukar ta olika sträckor varje år, i QAF:s audio walk vandrar vi i minnet den väg som demon gick 2019. I den femte och sista delen kommer vi fram till Tjärhovsplan där vi håller ett tal skrivet av QAF samma år.

Ta natten tillbaka – en audiowalk – QAF

Vandringen består av fem delar. Här kan du lyssna på vandringens olika delar som separata spår.

Brev från framtiden

Brev från framtiden är ett ljudverk skapat av QAF inför Radio 8 mars 2021. QAF har under flera år undersökt kollektivt skrivande som ett sätt att göra text och skapa en gemensam röst. Vi är intresserade av den kontrollförlust och kreativitet som uppstår i sökandet efter den delade mångfacetterade rösten. Brev från framtiden undersöker den kommande förändringen i medvetandet, en process som också gör nuet mer begripligt.

Brev till framtiden – QAF

Från redaktionellt urval.

Soundcloud logo