Light After Dark

“the photos and other ephemera in the exhibition are a testament to the fact that, no matter how many bars have been swallowed up by the annals of history, or how many club nights have come to an end, there’s always something else, always Light After Dark“
Amelia Abraham for i-D

The National Trust Prejudice & Pride season marked 50 years since The Sexual Offences Act of 1967 partially decriminalised homosexual acts between men in England and Wales. Major exhibitions included, Tate Britian’s Queer British Art 1861 to 1967 and The British Museum’s Desire, Love, Identity: exploring LGBTQ histories.

The Light After Dark programme at Sutton House explored the past, present, and future of queer nightlife in London, in the wake of a swathe of venue closures. The exhibition included contemporary photography, artworks and materials from The National Archives – Kew, which overlapped with archival research used to tell The Story of The Caravan Club and 1920s Fitzroy Square.

Accompanying events included, Grrrl Zine Fair and World Poets.

Artists: Angel Rose, Charles Jeffrey, Damien Frost, Denise O’Brien, Emily Rose England, Hanna Demel, Josh Quinton, Julia Fodor, Kat Hudson, Kesang Ball, Lauren J. Joseph, Liza Keane, Lucy Wills, Lyall Hakaraia, Otamere Guobadia, Rachel Hodgson, Sara Ahmad, Waj Hussain, BBZ London, Pxssy Palace

Archives: The National Archives – Kew, Gay News Archives, Boyz Magazine

Light after Dark was commissioned and directed by Lauren Sweeney and Sean Curran at Sutton House.

For further context and images from the exhibition, see this re-publication of Kat’s piece: Ours

• ZINE PAGES – Light After Dark 2017 Download

• ROOM INTROS – Light After Dark 2017 Download

Photograph of individuals present during a raid of Fitzroy Square, used as evidence, 1927. The National Archives – Kew catalogue ref: CRIM 1/387. ‘A rented basement flat at 25 Fitzroy Square was the home of Robert Britt – a dancer in the ‘Lady Be Good’ chorus at the Empire Theatre who was known as ‘Bobby B’. Throughout the mid-‘20s Bobby B would throw parties for small groups of his male friends where they would dance and sing together, and occasionally have sex. According to police reports they were flamboyantly open about their sexuality, wearing powdered makeup and dressing in ladies’ shoes. Private residences like Bobby B’s were important spaces for queer men to meet and socialise, providing an alternative to the underground clubs.’

For more on Fitzroy Square including further photos and intimate letters see – Queer love and friendship: 1920s Fitzroy Square

Jenkin Van Zyl by Waj Hussain, London c.2016

“Sutton House itself plays a part in the story – the Tudor home on Homerton High Street became home to a community of squatters in the ‘80s and established itself as a music and social venue known as the Blue House.”
Hackney Gazette

_{Exhibition photos by Ying Kuen Tonmy Lam}

Special thanks to, Lu Williams for contributing a fantastic Grrrl Zine Fair event to the exhibition, Graham Fawcett for hosting World Poets at Sutton House, Tia and Nadine – BBZ London, Nadine and Skye – Pxssy Palace, Rowena Hillel and Vicky Iglikowski-Broad at The National Archives, Gal-dem zine, Gay News Archives and Boyz Magazine for all their invaluable contributions. To Lauren Sweeney, Sean Curran, volunteer Benedetta Carletti, and the rest of the team at Sutton House who made this happen. Tech, setup and frame-building team James Sargent and Bob Earland. To friends, advisors and mentors including, Valerie Fawcett, Lauren J. Joseph, Josh Quinton, Jeffrey Hinton, Lesley Lush and everyone at the Retro Bar. With extra special thanks to Angel Rose for all her contributions to this project both in physical work and moral encouragement.