This exhibition is a collaboration between local LGBTQIA+ communities, artist Lucy Hayhoe, facilitator Georgia Hinton and Birmingham LGBT. This project took as it’s starting point, One in One out, an interactive gay bar installation by Lucy Hayhoe. Inside the miniature bar, visitors experience a night out in 5 minutes, complete with bouncers, cloakroom, a drink at the bar and of course a spin on the dancefloor!
During a series of workshops participants were invited to dream, design, and realise three new queer spaces of thier own, the only restriction being that it must be for one person at a time and is no larger than a phone booth. Participants were invited to reflect on the spaces that are open to them now in the present, and to re-imagine Birmingham’s queer spaces of the future. This feels relevant at a time when Birmingham’s own gay village is undergoing a period of flux and change, catalysed by the impacts of Covid-19 on the nightlife economy and at a time when a spate of hate crimes has shaken our confidence in what we hope to think of as a 'safe space'. The three new artworks presented here celebrate the different experiences of Birmingham's diverse queer communities and the spaces they inhabit and create in the city.
Having collaborated with Hayhoe on previous projects, Zavala was approached to contribute designs for the exhibition and promotional materials. This included a logo, wall text, extended labels, map, and signage. For the colour palette, pink was used because of its prominent use in many historical queer designs, including for Act Up's anti-AIDS campaign. Teal and yellow were chosen for their gender neutral associations, rounding out a triadic palette. The logo incorporates the queer gender symbol into the geolocation pin symbol along with a fluid typographic treatment. A map of Birmingham and wall graphics were designed for the Queer Happens Here section of the exhibition, where visitors can share their experiences in the city and mark it on the map. These included heart-touching stories about finding community and facing societal challenges.
Birmingham 2022 Festival
Queering the City
Exhibition
Artist: Lucy Hayhoe
Workshop Facilitator: Georgia Hinton
Carpenter: Rosa Pascual
Workshop Facilitator: Georgia Hinton
Carpenter: Rosa Pascual
Presented by Birmingham 2022 Festival and generously supported by Birmingham City council.