strangeperfume.org

Fairs

Strange Perfume is a LGBTQ+ book fair that focuses primarily on artists books and printed matter.

Taking place across two days, the fair features stands from an international mix of independent publishers and artists, selling queer fiction, critical and political writing, drawing and printmaking. Alongside this, a programme of performances, readings and workshops reflects the diversity of queer artists’ publishing, including activist, historical and more recent work.

Here’s a whiff of what Strange Perfume is all about:

What was once the ‘love that dare not speak its name’ now seems to never shut up, with ever more queers publishing their own material. Scenting this change in the air, Strange Perfume is a new fair gathering together the wealth of printed matter being produced by queer artists about the LGBTQIA experience. Step up to the fragrance counter and sample from a range of stalls featuring books, editions, posters, badges and more, alongside talks and events.

It’s a chance to meet other bookish benders at a time when gay bars and clubs are shutting down and the queer experience is being co-opted by mass media. So get off Grindr, say sod off to Scruff, step out into the world and envelope yourself within the Strange Perfume.

Text by Paul Clinton

Strange Perfume

'A Queer Culture Bookfair'

Strange Perfume ‘A Queer publishing Fair’ was held

at the South London Gallery in 2018 and 2019 and

at the Chetham's Library, Manchester in partnership

with Book Works ‘You Must Locate A Fantasy’ Library Residency Scheme (2018) and Publishers Assembley

on book fairs, London Art Book Fair, Whitechapel Gallery (2018).

Strange Perfume is a queer Book Fair project founded

in 2017 By Daniel Wilkinson AKA NIFF Books, Paul Clinton and Jordan Taylor. Strange Perfume was up

to seeks and to create safe environments for practising queer artists, writers, printers, and small publishers

and to create tangible links with our communities, celebrating the diverse and political work happening under that rainbow flag.

Participants

2018 Chetham's Library, Manchester,

in partnership with Book Works.

Alexa Jean Barrett / Amy Pennington / Brigid Elva / Black Lodge Press / Book Works / Camp Books / Clawson & Ward Daikon / Dawn Mellor / Emily Pope / Fox Irving / Huw Lemmey / Jacob V Joyce / Janina Sabaliauskaite & Jade Sweeting / Katie Della-valle / London Centre For Book Arts / Makina Books / Minnow Books / Pen Fight / Polly Richards / Prem Sahib / Pss / Publication Studio London / Rudy Loewe / Sally Fairbrass / Shy Bairns / Sina Sparrow / Soofiya Andry / Synchronise Witches Press / Sarah Joy Ford / Scottee / Silver Press / Simon English / Tenderbooks / Unbound (Lada).

2018 Chetham's Library, Manchester, in partnership with

Book Works.

Alexa Jean Barrett / Amy Pennington / Brigid Elva / Black Lodge Press / Book Works / Camp Books / Clawson & Ward Daikon / Dawn Mellor / Emily Pope / Fox Irving / Huw Lemmey Jacob V Joyce / Janina Sabaliauskaite & Jade Sweeting / Katie Della-valle / London Centre For Book Arts / Makina Books / Minnow Books / Pen Fight / Polly Richards / Prem Sahib / Pss Publication Studio London / Rudy Loewe / Sally Fairbrass / Shy Bairns / Sina Sparrow / Soofiya Andry / Synchronise Witches Press / Sarah Joy Ford / Scottee / Silver Press / Simon English / Tenderbooks / Unbound (Lada).

2019 The South London Gallery

Agony Press / Apples To Zines / Book Works / Buffalo Zine / Burning House Books / Camp Books / David Lock / Editorial Facsimilie / Emily Pope / Evelyn Bestian / Esther Greenwood School For Girls / Fanzine La Raya / Fetiche / Fredde Lanka / Fox Irving / Genderfail / Ginny Projects / Holly Casio / Ian Giles / Jade Sweeting / Jamie Luke Scoular / Jumbo Press / London Centre For Book Arts / Letters From Mars / Makina Books / Paperworks / Pawel Jaskulski / Pilot Press / Pleasure Principles / Raw Meat Collective / Rachael House / Sally Fairbrass / Sam Wingate / Shelley Marlow / PS London / (Sean Burns, Davide Meneghello & Miko Karakolev) Sina Sparrow / Simon English / Sinae Park / Sophie Seita / South London Review of Hand Dryers / Spyros Rennt / Steven Fraser / Sunyoung Park / Synchronise Witches Press / Tenderbooks / Wilfrid Wood / The 87 Press.