Queering the Photobooth: Postering the City... by Luc

I got lucky.  By 3pm the sun was shining over the relatively calm-looking sea and any ominous storm clouds were staying inland, when I joined Anthony and the postering crew on Madeira Drive, the Brighton seafront close to the Pier and the Wheel.

  

The crew at this point included Sarah from Photoworks behind a camera, Sean from the University on pasting duty and Andy from itv with tripod and film camera.  They had battled the earlier wind and wet to hang half of the Queering the Photobooth posters in the city centre and outlying streets.

Just managing to slap-and-brush wallpaper paste onto the walls, and then backs of the quadrant posters (of the full 3m tall portraits), half of the collaborative portrait images had already been placed at the University of Brighton, Southover Street, North Road, Thistle Hotel by the Brighton Town Hall and on Dyke Road down from Seven Dials.

On the ‘mezzanine’ level walkway above Madeira Drive I could be of minor assistance with posters flapping in the ‘breeze’ alongside dab-hand-daubers and ladder-nippy Sean and Anthony, but it was good to join in with this, the culmination action of the not going shopping project.

Anthony got to be interviewed for itv on his role as photo artist and book editor for the Queer in Brighton project, and I (unexpectedly) got to say a few words as 'just another [Trans*] person' and participant of ngs, standing beside my still-gloopy but dramatic portrait (wow: that seriously expensive Hasselblad brought out every detail of leather tie texture and testosterone-fuelled stubble!)

                            

It was hoped to hang all 10 of the portraits along this stretch of wall on Madeira Drive, but the paste ran out when Fox’s portraits were hung; everyone’s energy was flagging as the light began to dim around 5 o’clock. Cups of tea and fries from a nearby burger bar* were needed (*not one sponsoring those unlawfully-queer-unfriendly winter olympics…)

Another day of weather-beating was needed to hang the remaining posters.  But the questions remained: how long would the portraits ‘hold fast’ in this £15-billion-costly storming wind, rain and hail? And, could I get the wallpaper paste off my wool hat & coat and leather trousers?

Cheers, Anthony: this beat going shopping!