If I Can't Dance warmly invites you to the exhibition How We Behave / An Archive of Radical Practice, a collection of queer and feminist life stories, brought together over the past ten years by DAI's esteemed theory tutor Grant Watson. They depart from Michel Foucault’s call for ‘non-fascist’ forms of life, and focus on how people experiment, reflect on their relationships and on political agency, including at moments of crisis and social transformation. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with IHLIA LGTBI Heritage, part of Amsterdam’s public library OBA Oosterdok, and is accompanied by a presentation of materials from this collection dedicated to the LGBTI communities and histories in the Netherlands. Exhibition: 11 December 2023 – 7 January 2024. Opening: Sunday 10 December, 16-18hr
The exhibition presents a selection from this extensive archive of interviews conducted in Amsterdam, Athens, Brussels, London, Los Angeles, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, São Paulo and San Francisco. It offers a variety of transcripts, audio recordings, and video portraits. Interviewees featured in the exhibition include amongst others Abhina Aher, Elle Monk, Michelle Dizon, Suely Rolnik, and Kiriakos Spirou.
In tandem with the How We Behave exhibition, If I Can't Dance present a live reading performance, featuring a selection of interview fragments, given by interviewees and members of our Amsterdam communities. This event will mark the first public gathering in our new studio space, part of the WG-art community in Amsterdam Oud-West.
How We Behave commenced in 2012 as part of Grant Watson’s research commission for If I Can’t Dance’s Edition V – Appropriation and Dedication (2013-14) and has continued to develop since. With the inauguration of its online studio, If I Can’t Dance’s curators Anik Fournier and Megan Hoetger initiated an archive-activation of the project. From 2021, Watson and the curators have been in dialogue and used the online environment to revisit and further the interviews, regularly releasing new uploads. Here you can find interviews with amongst others Ajamu X, Joy Mariama Smith, Laurence Rassel, Kirk Read, Ti, AA Bronson, Mary Kelly, and Sher Doruff.
We look forward to welcoming you to the exhibition and the reading performance, and meanwhile feel welcome to visit the How We Behave project in IICD's online studio.
Tour by curator Grant Watson: Wednesday 13 December, 18-19hr
IHLIA (located at the 3rd floor of the OBA public library)
Oosterdokskade 143
1011 DL Amsterdam
Open daily: Monday – Friday, 8–22hr and Saturday and Sunday 10–20hr
Free
Accessibility Information:
– Seats available
– Third Floor, wheelchair accessible via elevator
– Wheelchair accessible WC; gender-neutral WC
– Language: English
More information: ificantdance.org / OBA
About: Grant Watson