by Spotlight in collaboration with VOX-POP and Allard Pierson
Although they are not always visible in mainstream narratives, queer people have been around as long as everyone else — and just like everyone else, they painted portraits of their loved ones, formed movements and communities, and left their mark on the world.
In this workshop, we will connect with those who came before us by working with historical visual materials to create collages that reflect contemporary queer experiences. This event is a collaboration between VOX-POP, Spotlight, and the Allard Pierson museum. The historical materials available to you will include paintings, photographs, posters, and other archival sources from all around the world, alongside selections from Allard Pierson’s own queer Amsterdam archives. Join us to learn, connect, and create.
16.30 - 16.45 Walk-in
16.45 - 16.55 Discussion on the historical materials
16.55 - 19.00 Collage-making
This event will take place at VOX-POP (Binnengasthuisstraat 9). It is free of charge and open to everyone, but we kindly ask you to registrate as there is a limited amount of spots available.
Queer Underground, organised and curated by the queer student association Spotlight, sheds light on the multiple layers of queer identities and the intricate, “underground” connections to one’s cultural roots, heritage, and past experiences. The exhibition, featuring artworks by seven queer artists, invites you to reflect on the wide variety of experiences under the “queer” umbrella and their complex, intimate, entangled, and situated realities.
Magdalena (Lee) Styś is a linguistics student, writer, and chair of Spotlight UvA. During their time with Spotlight, they’ve been primarily focused on promoting queer art and history and making the campus a more welcoming space for queer students. Outside of Spotlight, they write poetry and editorials; find out more about them and their work here.
Spotlight is the queer student association operating with UvA Pride and open to all students in Amsterdam. Their ongoing projects include the gender-affirming clothing campaign GenderSwap, the informational campaign ENGAGE!, and the Queer Cinephile Society. They also regularly organise social and cultural events for queer community building.