Marty Davies and Xavier White are London-based, queer artists and activists who create artworks about the intersection of gender identity and society. Having displayed 16 Childhood Memories earlier in the year, they invite you to come and participate in the creation of their latest work, 42 Childhood Memories (Southwark).
42 Childhood Memories: A community art project
42 Childhood Memories is a collaborative artwork of Trans+ remembering and remembrance by Marty Davies and Xavier White.
The work features a collection of small canvases. Each canvas will be painted a solid colour representing the favourite childhood colour of a Trans+ participant, with their name and current age inscribed on the back.
Some canvases will be absent from the completed piece, symbolising the Trans+ children who didn’t get the chance to grow up and share their favourite colour. Abusive home and school environments, abuse on social media, a failing healthcare system, and hate crime all contribute towards this tragic loss.
The vibrant, distinct colours of the canvases will form a collective mosaic of the Trans+ experience. The work will reflect on unity, and invite solidarity with the wider LGBTQIA+ community, reminding us we are stronger together.
As a community regularly dehumanised in politics, media and law, this workshop will use art both to heal and to remind the world of our humanity.
An earlier version of the work ‘16 Childhood Memories’ debuted with acclaim earlier this year at Brixton (Tate) Library’s LGBT+ History Month exhibition, “Is That a Boy’s Toy?”.
For the creation of this new work, the artists, Marty Davies and Xavier White, are working with Wellbeing Practitioner, Sabah Chourdrey, who will guide participants through a workshop - creating a safe space for memory, mark making and community healing to access childhood memories.
All materials will be provided, and there will be plenty of time to paint your small square canvas and leave your mark on the project.
This event is for anyone who identifies as Trans+. What does this mean? People who describe themselves as trans and non-binary, and indeed any way people choose to describe their gender outside of the binary. We are also inclusive of intersex people who have natural diversity in sex characteristics.
Priority will be given to Trans+ people who have a connection to Southwark and surrounding boroughs. Please do not let this deter you from signing up; remember, a connection can be anything and that Southwark is a vast area of London, much more than the tube station!
Once you sign-up for a ticket, we will review and send over confirmation of attendance including venue specific details. This is to ensure we keep the space as safe as possible.
Accessibility
Please note, the venue for this event is ground floor with no steps. The toilet is on the same level and is spacious, however is not equipped with disabled facilities and the door is not extra wide.
Acknowledgements:
Trans+ History Week CIC and Southwark Council are supporting this community project and Macatia Coffee are kindly providing us with workshop space.
More on the Artists:
Marty Davies (b. 1986) is a London-based trans non-binary artist, columnist and campaigner whose art is an extension of their advocacy. As founder of Trans+ History Week, she has built a vehicle to fund a growing community of Trans+ writers and artists to surface Trans+ history stories and challenge harmful narratives in the media. Often collaborative and community-driven, Marty’s art operates where queer culture, history, rights and the attention economy collide. She calls herself a proud attention seeker. Her works are arresting, often multi-layered and play with attention and surprise as they comment on violence, erasure and loss to stir and activate change.
Xavier White (b. 1993) is a London-based artist. His work is rooted in activism and provides a contemporary socio-political commentary on topics such as queer identity, toxic masculinity, and the male gaze. Harnessing the semiotic power of childhood toys, he makes complex political issues appear accessible, juxtaposing nostalgia and fun with the problematic past and present.
Terms & Conditions
By attending this event, you consent to your painted canvas square potentially forming part of 42 Childhood Memories. In doing so, you relinquish all rights to your painted canvas square to the artists, Marty Davies and Xavier White, for them to compile it with other canvas and display as a community-contributed artwork. Images of the completed artwork will be used as part of promoting the artwork and any exhibition that it may appear within in the future.
Please note, photography will be taking place during the workshop. Upon arrival, please take a red sticker if you are not keen to appear in any photography. Photos will be used for proof of funding spent with Southwark Council. Some photos may appear on social media and as part of the story of the creation of this artwork. Please do not let this put you off, we will do everything we can to protect your identity and likeness if you do not wish to be photographed. However, we cannot guarantee that we will accidentally capture the back of your head in the background of a photo - we will not use this photo if we can identify you.