2026
SEX DEMON
THE DIVINE, LONDON JANUARY 2026 On 21 January 2025, SEX DEMON—a radical queer porn reimagining of The Exorcist made in 1975—will receive its first-ever London screening at The Divine. Presented by The Queer Archive and hosted by artist and performer A Man to Pet, the event marks the return of a film unseen since 1981, when it disappeared from circulation. Blurring horror, parody, and explicit sexual performance, SEX DEMON transforms possession from a site of fear into one of desire, pleasure, and queer becoming. Drawing directly from the iconography of The Exorcist, the film strips away moral redemption and religious authority, replacing them with camp excess, bodily autonomy, and transgressive erotic ritual. Produced in the shadow of 1970s sexual liberation and underground porn cinema, SEX DEMON occupies a rare space in queer film history—where pornography functions not simply as arousal, but as political gesture, aesthetic strategy, and blasphemous critique. Its disappearance for over four decades has only intensified its mythic status. The screening at The Divine is conceived as a collective encounter rather than a conventional film showing. Hosted by A Man to Pet, the evening will unfold within the venue’s charged, intimate atmosphere, collapsing the boundaries between cinema, performance, and ritual. The event is presented by The Queer Archive, whose work focuses on preserving, activating, and recontextualising radical queer cultural materials that have been marginalised, censored, or forgotten. This screening offers a rare opportunity to encounter a piece of queer underground cinema history—unfiltered, confrontational, and unapologetically obscene. Not for the faithful.
2025
FEMALE
FEMALE reframes the myth and legacy of Aliki Vougiouklaki, the most iconic actress in modern Greek history. Adored by millions and often compared to Marilyn Monroe, Aliki embodied empowerment while remaining confined by the conservative culture that both idolized and controlled her. The film adopts a bold narrative approach: three performers portray Aliki, each portraying a different aspect of her identity and myth. Among them is an actress discovered at Athens’ leading drag stage, where her uncanny performance of Aliki had already captivated audiences. Through this interplay of bodies and perspectives, the film exposes Aliki’s contradictions: glamorous yet vulnerable, liberated yet constrained, beloved yet profoundly alone. Set against the shifting backdrop of post-war Greece and resonating into the present, FEMALE is both intimate character study and cultural excavation; a cinematic meditation on celebrity, female identity, and the timeless tension between self and persona.
BODY MOVEMENTS FESTIVAL 2025
SOUTHWARK PARK, LONDON AUGUST 2025 FIRST QUEER ELECTRONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL IN UK TEAMS UP WITH INTERNATIONAL ART COLLECTIVE THE QUEER ARCHIVE ARTISTS Melody Melamed, Rebecca Dorothy, Gaëtan Dubroca, Daniel Paramio, Javier Cerrada, Maik Gräf, Alina Gross, Ori Paul Levi On Sunday 24th August 2025, the UK’s leading queer festival, Body Movements, returned to Southwark Park for its highly anticipated Summer edition. Following the success of our inaugural collaboration in 2024, this year marked the second chapter of a partnership celebrating queer creativity at the intersection of music, performance, and visual art. For 2025, the festival showcased the work of 8 extraordinary artists selected by The Queer Archive and Body Movements, each offering a unique perspective on queer life, identity, and the body. The aim of this renewed collaboration was to continue bridging queer music, visual art, and community, creating new spaces for underrepresented voices and fostering lasting connections between artists and audiences. The 2025 edition of Body Movements x The Queer Archive was not just a festival moment — it was a celebration of queer creativity returning stronger than ever.
Don't dream it, be it
ROMANTSO GALLERY, ATHENS JUNE 2025 Curated by Konstantinos Menelaou Presented during the 2025 Athens Pride at POWER DANCE PRIDE CLUB In celebration of Athens Pride 2025, The Queer Archive brings a bold and unapologetic film program to Power Dance Club at Romantso—a vibrant selection of queer visibility, resistance, and radical expression through moving images. This curated selection of short films pulses with desire, defiance, sensuality, and raw vulnerability, capturing the multitude of queer voices across the globe. Each screening is a cinematic spark that mirrors the energy of the dance floor—intimate, charged, and subversive. Always Show Courage When Burning to the Ground – Joseph Wilson Roses, glitter, jockstraps. God’s gaze is everywhere—even in a gay sauna, especially when steam veils a trace of danger. In this charged, feverish vision, Joseph Wilson fuses camp with sincerity, staging a divine reckoning in an erotic limbo. Flamboyant, fierce, and fever-dreamlike, it’s a journey between provocation and play, with more bite than a poppers rush. Mochit – Oat Montien A tender, quietly erotic short tracing queer longing across urban Bangkok. With soft, dreamlike visuals and an ethereal tone, Mochit captures the ache of fleeting connection—the glances exchanged, the silences shared—in the liminal spaces of a city in motion. A meditative ode to intimacy suspended in time. Bronski Beat “Why” – Matt Lambert To mark 40 years of the iconic queer anthem “Why?”, Matt Lambert crafts a documentary-style homage that fuses archive with raw emotion. Revisiting Bronski Beat’s radical debut in The Age of Consent, the short confronts the socio-political violence faced by queer communities in the 1980s—while affirming the song’s enduring pulse in the fight for liberation. All the Young Dudes – Slava Mogutin A gritty visual companion to Pet Shop Boys’ cover of the David Bowie classic, directed by Slava Mogutin. Shot in New York’s Lower East Side on a mix of digital and Super 8, the film radiates queer punk energy, turning city streets into a nostalgic, electric playground where boyhood, rebellion, and desire collide. Les fleurs du mâle – Hadi Moussally Salma, a mystical figure, confronts a world unwilling to accept her truth. Inspired by Baudelaire’s censored Les Fleurs du Mal, Moussally conjures a surreal plea for grace in a realm where identity is punished. A visual poem on queerness, exile, and the search for mercy—where art becomes both prayer and provocation. Spring at Beach 19 – Antonio Da Silva Spring is when Beach 19 truly comes to life—wild bushes, free bodies, and unexpected encounters in the open air. Antonio Da Silva captures the raw beauty of awakening desire: hairy men basking in natural light, wrapped in the pleasures of naturism among dunes, pines, and sea. A sun-drenched celebration of queer sensuality and freedom. LICORICE – Nicky Miller Dyke Rider and ‘O’ as Fox in a Playroom. Breath play, wax, and roleplay unravel in a lush, tactile space. Licorice is a bold, sensuous reinterpretation of Joreen’s radical Bitch Manifesto—a short film that reclaims “bitch” through queer kink, erotic theory, and feminist insurgency. Dark, glossy, and defiant. Refugees Welcome – Bruce LaBruce Moonif, a young Syrian refugee, steps out of the camp into the uneasy streets of Berlin. As outer threats blur with inner longing, his journey becomes a tense confrontation with identity, belonging, and desire. LaBruce’s lens remains provocative and empathetic, offering a queer reimagining of exile in a foreign land. Tranquila – Leo Adef An intimate, ritualistic video performance featuring the late Perla Zúñiga and Vera Amores (aka Berenice). Through spoken word and experimental sound, Tranquila weaves a collaborative tapestry of queer spirituality, eroticism, fragility, and shared imagination. A shimmering meditation on trans embodiment and desire beyond binaries. POCKET RAINCOAT – Cathal O’Brien Wet, slick, and suggestively absurd, Pocket Raincoat finds erotic potential in something as mundane as a plastic poncho. With campy charm and subversive glee, O’Brien unpacks the hidden kinks of everyday materials—proving that even the most practical objects can turn unexpectedly perverse. DUMP TRUMP – ROSS COLLAB An act of queer protest distilled to a single, raw gesture: someone pisses on a photo of Donald Trump. Graphic, unapologetic, and politically charged, this micro-short embodies righteous anger and unfiltered rebellion—a fierce middle finger to fascism and the sanitizing of queer resistance.
2024
Greeks under the influence
CINEMA QUEER FESTIVAL, STOCKHOLM JUNE 2024 LISA AND THE OTHER ONE (1976) Director: TAKIS SPETSIOTIS Close-ups and medium fixed camera shots of a man dressed in Liza Minelli’ clothes, who mimes to a recording of the music hall song “Life is a Cabaret”. In the soundtrack, the iconical reading of a text exposing the ideological clichés of a family soap opera in a state of crisis. “My little boy, alas, is gay…". THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US AND THE SKY (2019) Director: VASILIS KEKATOS Two strangers meet for the first time at an old gas station. One has stopped to gas up his bike, while the other is just stranded. Lacking money to get home, he will try to sell him the distance that separates them from the sky. BETTY (1979) Director: DIMITRIS STAVRAKAS Betty is a short film that narrates the day in the life of an Athenian transvestite. Through memories from his former life and images from his current one, as the day draws to a close, past and present intersect. But both are dominated by an overarching emotion: the ineluctable loneliness of the person. TEDDY BEAR (2022) Director: KONSTANTINOS MENELAOU A man returns home to Athens, where he spends solitary days in his new flat. As he navigates his loneliness, his voice reveals heartfelt messages to the lover he left behind, capturing the bittersweet emotions of love, distance, and the struggle to move on. TENDER (1997) Director: CHRISTOS DIMAS Greek drag queen hustler shares her perspectives on life and love. PINK (2017) Director: MEMI KOUPA The empty streets of Athens on a Monday evening. A girl returns home from work. A pair of stuffed animals left on a dumpster. An omen? Out of nowhere, a casual encounter with a homeless girl leads to an unusual invitation. A goldfish shows the way to freedom. Who is the savior and who wants to be saved? POST RESTANT OMONIA (1982) Director: HARIS PAPADOPOULOS A mixture of fact and fiction about the nightlife in Omonia Square and vicinity. Moving faces and events that happen in the square were set up and filmed with the real characters who haunt the area and who agreed to re-enact what they live through each night. Finally, true confessions of the people of Omonia, taken from their personal nocturnal experiences, comprise a connecting off-screen link with the various incidents which occur in the square. Curated by Konstantinos Menelaou This film program is a curious exploration of Greek queer cinema, tracing the evolution of LGBTQ+ representation from the 1970s to the present. The curated selection highlights 6 short films that have challenged societal norms, offering nuanced portrayals of queer identity, love, and resistance. Through a mix of classic works and contemporary voices, the program reflects Greece's shifting cultural landscape and the diverse experiences of its LGBTQ+ community. Audiences will witness the courageous artistry that has shaped Greek queer cinema, celebrating its role in both national and global dialogues on identity, acceptance, and human rights.
Tom Cinema
HALLE AM BERGHAIN, BERLIN MAY 2024 Curated by Konstantinos Menelaou / The Queer Archive in collaboration with Pierre Emo / Instinct Diane Pernet / A shaded view on fashion Anarella Martinez / Erika Lust Sam Ashby / Little Joe SHORT FILMS PROGRAMME 1 GOD SAVE ABORTION - PUSSY RIOT SUBSPACE - MATT LAMBERT ISN'T IT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD - JOSEPH WILSON VOLANA'S ECLIPSE - SJ RAHATOKA ASVOFF & THE QUEER ARCHIVE PRESENT QUEER FASHION FILMS SULTANA’S REIGN - HADI MOUSSALLY LICKING WOUNDS - JOSEPH WILSON BLACK PEPPA - JOSEPH WILSON IN LIMBO - HARUN GÜLER TRANSITIONS - LEO ADEF TOMMIES - BRIAN FAIRBAIRN AND KARL ECCLESTON THE DEMONS OF DOROTHY - ALEXIS LANGLOIS LOVE HAS NO LABEL - BEN GALSTER ZACH WITNESS / FRANKIE & LEVAN - DAVID WILSON AFTERPARTY - LEON MAKI CHRYSALIS - IVAN BAMBALIN ANTONIO DA SILVA X 5 NATURIST BEACH PHALLUS FLOWERS EREMITA CRUISING IN THE PARK ECOSEXUAL LITTLE JOE PRESENTS ASK ANY BUDDY - ELIZABETH PURCHELL SHORT FILMS PROGRAMME 2 IN THE DARK - RORY MIDHANI ANDROGRAPHIE - MATHIAS VEF FOU DE BASSAN - YANN GONZALEZ LEMON TASTE - NICKY MILLER THE DAY I’VE BEEN FUCKED IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE WORLD - LEOLO SHORT FILMS PROGRAMME 3 BRENDAN MACLEAN/ HOUSE OF AIR - BRIAN AND KARL PATPONG NARCISSUS - OAT MONTIEN AL-ATLAL (THE RUINS) - RAED RAFEI SHORT FILMS PROGRAMME 4 MASK4MASK- ARON KANTOR AUTOPORTRAIT - MATHIEU MOREL LOVE 01 SNEAKER BOY - NO_PIC_NO_CHAT CRASHING WAVES - EM J. GILBERTSON BUTCHER'S HOOK - BEN BERLIN LOOP - TEXAS GLORY THE EXAMINATION - JAN SOLDAT PEE ON PRESIDENTS - MELANIE BONAJO I WANT YOU - DJ HELL LIZ ROSENFELD - CRUISING THE EDGES WHEN WE ARE TOGETHER WE CAN BE EVERYWHERE TREMBLE EDGING LIZ/JAMES/STILLHOLES DAISY CHAIN UNTITLED (DYKETACTICS REVISITED) MARIT OSTBERG X 3 HOLD SHARE INSTINCT ERIKA LUST X 2 (A) KLAPPE - MATT LAMBERT DOMESTIC SERVITUDE - POPPY SANCHEZ SHORT FILMS PROGRAMME 5 I CAN SEE THE SUN BUT I CAN'T FEEL IT YET - JOSEPH WILSON I HAD BEEN SLEEPWALKING WHEN I SAW ALL THOSE COLORS - BOGDAN BALLA FLOWER - MATT LAMBERT TERROR SISTERS! - ALEXIS LANGLOIS OBSCENITY: BRUCE LABRUCE + SLAVA MOGUTIN OBSCENITY - BRUCE LABRUCE I KNOW WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE DEAD - BRUCE LABRUCE MOON RIVER (UNCUT) - SLAVA MOGUTIN WITH BRUCE LABRUCE LEGS - BRUCE LABRUCE WITH DANKO JONES CURSES, HEXES & BOOTS - SLAVA MOGUTIN WITH BRIAN KENNY SUPERM HIGHWAY - SLAVA MOGUTIN WITH BRIAN KENNY SLAP PEACE - SLAVA MOGUTIN WITH GIO BLACK PEPPER SM COLLIER - SLAVA MOGUTIN WITH BRIAN KENNY HOMAGE TO BLOWJOB - BRUCE LA BRUCE WITH RIVER WILSON FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN - SLAVA MOGUTIN WITH EDMUND WHITE REVOLVING DOOR - BRUCE LABRUCE WITH GIO BLACK PETER BEAUTY & HELL - SLAVA MOGUTIN & BRIAN KENNY WITH FRANÇOIS SAGAT DÉFENSE DE FUMER - BRUCE LABRUCE THE QUEER ARCHIVE PRESENTS / TEST SCREENING CALIFORNIA SOBER (ROUGH CUT) - KONSTANTINOS MENELAOU LITTLE JOE PRESENTS I.K.U - SHU LEA CHEANG ERIKA LUST X 2 (B) THE BIKE CLUB - POPPY SANCHEZ REFUGEES WELCOME - BRUCE LABRUCE
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TOM OF FINLAND 40TH ANNIVERSARY
HALLE AM BERGHAIN, BERLIN MAY 2024 Curated by Richard Villani / Tom of Finland foundation Konstantinos Menelaou / The Queer Archive Eric Lerouge / Instinct The festival, set against the backdrop of Berlin's iconic Halle am Berghain venue for the first time, was a dynamic celebration of art, culture, and liberation with a diverse program featuring exhibitions, performances, and interactive experiences that pay homage to Tom's enduring impact on LGBTQ+ representation and artistic expression. This included a curated selection of works from esteemed artists such as Slava Mogutin, Matt Lambert, AA Bronson, and other Tom of Finland Foundation collaborators. Additionally, the festival highlighted emerging talents from the Tom of Finland Emerging Artists Competition, showcasing the next generation of artists who continue to push boundaries and redefine queer art. The festival also featured curated film selections from renowned directors like Matt Lambert, Marit Östberg, and Bruce LaBruce, further emphasizing the celebration's commitment to showcasing diverse queer art forms.
BODY MOVEMENTS FESTIVAL 2024
SOUTHWARK PARK, LONDON AUGUST 2024 FIRST QUEER ELECTRONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL IN UK TEAMS UP WITH INTERNATIONAL ART COLLECTIVE THE QUEER ARCHIVE ARTISTS Florian Hetz, Daniel Paramio, Javier Alejandro Cerrada, Mike D’Hondt, Alina Gross, Sandra Lazzarini, Haotique, Yves de Brabander, Deni Horvatic, Slava Mogutin Taking place on Sunday 25th August 2024, the UK’s favourite queer festival, Body Movements, is spreading its wings and landing at Southwark Park for its Summer edition. Since its inception in 2021, the event has become a centre point in the community’s calendar, an event which branches identity and expression through the wide network within the queer club spectrum. This next chapter promises to not only build on past gatherings but also mark a new milestone in the team’s dedication to being a project for global queer talent, in a new home for safety and belonging. In aims to create a new entry point for underrepresented artists from the queer community, Body Movements Festival have teamed up with international art collective The Queer Archive and have selected 10 artists who will be showcasing their work across the festival on a larger-than-life scale. With a plan to broaden this idea further, this new collaboration aims to bring together like-minded artists and creative audiences through the festival. With plans to broaden this into a further extended program this is just a starting point for this unique and promising collaboration.
EUROPRIDE 2024
ORATOS, THESSALONIKI JUNE 2024 Curated by Konstantinos Menelaou Produced by The Queer Archive in collaboration with Euro Pride Thessaloniki and Oratos, Thessaloniki Participating Artists: THANOS MEGKOS, ALEJANDRO HERNANDEZ BASCON, SUPER G, ZACH GREAR, MIKAEL GRAVELLE, JORDAN B SERVICE, ARNOLDAS KUBILIUS, CHIARA DONDI, JAVIER CERRADA, ANTON SHEBETKO, FLORIAN HETZ, SANDRA LAZZARINI, DANIEL PARAMIO, MAIK GRÄF, ORI PAUL LEVI, CHRYSANTHOS CHRISTODOULOU Feeding The Queer Archive - Europride Edition is a vibrant art exhibition, curated by The Queer Archive and Konstantinos Menelaou in collaboration with Europride Thessaloniki. It unveils a mosaic of queer creativity from diverse corners of the globe. Against the backdrop of EuroPride in Thessaloniki, this collection showcases the multifaceted expressions of queer identity and solidarity. Through an array of mediums including painting, photography, and digital art, the exhibition amplifies the voices of LGBTQI+ artists, each conveying their unique narratives of freedom, acceptance, and community. From bold statements challenging societal norms to intimate reflections on personal journeys, these works illuminate the resilience and creativity within queer communities worldwide. By fostering dialogue and connection, "Feeding The Queer Archive - Europride Edition" celebrates the universal pursuit of inclusivity and the unyielding spirit of queer expression and embraces diversity and the profound power of artistic expression.
2024
2023
TOM OF FINLAND FESTIVAL
THE KNAST, BERLIN, MAY 2023 STANDARD HOTEL, LONDON, JULY 2023 The Tom of Finland Art & Culture Festival 2023, organized by the Tom of Finland Foundation, was a dynamic celebration of queer erotic art, community, and cultural expression. Held across Berlin, London, and Los Angeles, the festival brought together artists, performers, and audiences to explore themes of sexuality, identity, and artistic freedom. Berlin (May 12–14): Hosted at prideART Berlin in the historic Knast venue, the Berlin edition featured works by artists such as Gerardo Vizmanos, Henning von Berg, and Rinaldo Hopf. The event included exhibitions, performances, and fashion showcases, emphasizing Berlin's vibrant queer culture. London (July 22–23): Taking place at The Standard Hotel, the London festival showcased artists like Martin Perry, Rick Castro, and Ed Firth. Highlights included a life drawing session with adult entertainer John Thomas and a variety of talks and workshops on queer erotica and the leather community. Throughout its 2023 editions, the Tom of Finland Art & Culture Festival reinforced its commitment to fostering a global community that celebrates and preserves queer erotic art. THE QUEER ARCHIVE ARTISTS ALEJANDRO HERNÁNDEZ BASCÓN CALLUM LEO HUGHES ARNOLDAS KUBILIUS DANIEL PARAMIO ORTIZ ALINA GROSS ZACH GREAR EDEN LEVI AM JAVIER ALEJANDRO CERRADA HAOTIQUE THANOS MEGKOS UNSEETHAT MAIK GRÄF OMER GA’ASH JACOB LOVE
CALIFORNIA SOBER/SORRY I HURT YOU
TOM OF FINLAND FOUNDATION, LOS ANGELES APRIL 2023 TOM HOUSE Artists-in-residence Konstantinos Menelaou and Florian Hetz presented their works-in-progress at TOM House. Hetz showcased a newly printed zine entitled I’m Sorry I Hurt You, a portion of which will be included in an upcoming book. Menelaou showed a portion of his upcoming film, California Sober, which was shot during his time spent at TOM House. Poetry readings taken from California Sober occured throughout the evening.
ZOE
ROMANTSO, ATHENS APRIL 2023 “Zoe” is an ancient Greek term and means life - the simple fact of life that is common to all living beings. According to Plato, “Zoe” is also tied to Fate that can be lived well or badly. However, it is not always in our hands whether our life is peaceful or whether it is suppressed and persecuted because certain aspects are not considered compliant by religious or political authorities. Queer interpretations of ancient Greek mythology and society are the focus of the photographic project ZOE by German artist Maik Gräf. A series of photographs taken during the artist’s art residency in Athens in 2021 will be presented at Romantso gallery. The exhibition is curated by Konstantinos Menelaou and Maik Gräf and produced by the art platform and gallery The Queer Archive. Ancient Greek sculptures embody ideals that are thousands of years old and speak of a special sensitivity. The bare marble of the ancient statues, depicted in an intimate, emotional and abstract way is a recurring theme of Gräf’s photographic work, who believes that Greek spiritual heritage offers a promise of a queer future and is traced in the contemplation of ancient representations of the human body. During his time in Athens, Gräf closely engaged with the local queer community and further explored his ongoing passion and curiosity for ancient, as well as contemporary Greek culture. In ZOE, marble sculptures are juxtaposed with recent portraits of members of the queer community of Athens. Gräf personally interviewed members of the community and this fruitful interaction informed him about the current state of queer living in Athens. Discrimination, violence, injustice, but also newly acquired freedoms, solidarity and love have balanced the view of history with the present political and social state of society. Maik Gräf‘s work deals with queer theory and history and formulates questions about queer subjectivity. His photographs address topics of bodily and emotional perception. His aim is to evoke emotions in viewers while conveying the aspect of vulnerability through the use of the material. Based on the understanding of photography as a sensitive medium, the sensitive surfaces of analog photography form the working basis, which resembles the vulnerability of human skin. Maik Gräf (*1986) studied at the Bauhaus University Weimar and the Academy of Fine Arts in Hamburg, where he graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in 2018. Among other awards, he received a working scholarship from the Stiftung Kunstfonds in 2023, the stART.up scholarship from the Claussen-Simon Foundation in 2021/22 and the Hamburg Future Scholarship in 2021. His work has been shown among others at the Museum für Photo- graphie Braunschweig, Kunsthaus Hamburg, Frappant Galerie Hamburg, MOM ART SPACE Hamburg, f2 Fotofestival Dortmund, and during the triannual der Photographie Hamburg. In addition, he publishes his work in artist books. His last artist‘s book »ZOE« was published in 2022.
KAVLA 3
Kavla #3: Slaughterhouse KAVLA is an independent publication of The Queer Archive involving LGBTQI+ artists of all creative backgrounds. Editors Konstantinos Menelaou, Florian Hetz and Olivia Typaldos invited artists, writers, poets and thinkers to submit work on the theme of slaughterhouse seen through a queer lens looking for darkness, light, brutality, gentleness, rawness, and emotion. Contributors: SLAVA MOGUTIN ARNOLDAS KUBILIUS ALINA GROSS ANGEL ALVARADO ANTONIO KISELIC LEDINSKY RAFAEL ZULFUGAROV CALLUM LEO HUGHES JOZO JURIČ THOMAS GRAY VENABLE ZESTYBOB FAUSTO GEORGE KANIS JOHNNY ABBATE STUART SANDFORD JUAN SALVADOR YVES DE BRABANDER OLIVIA TYPALDOS MARK TIMOTHY HAYWARD DEMITRI WYLDE LESLEY MOON STEVEN REIGNS ORLAN
PORNOPOP
ROMANTSO, ATHENS JUNE 2023 Release party EP PORNOPOP by BABYNYMPH Line Up: BABYNYMPH REBE ARA XD PORSCHELANE ARISHA “As the first release off BABYNYMPH's own independent label KUNTHOUSE, the forthcoming EP is set to explore themes of dysphoria, fear, aggression and how sexual trauma can impact sexuality, reclaiming those experiences and turning them into something positive. Finding refuge in the catharsis of the club, BABYNYMPH injects a sense of fun into her music in a big fusion of genres that sees the artist delivering serve after serve”. PAPER The event will be filmed by director Mollie Mills and Radical Media for the global campaign of Lufthansa highlighting the glory of the queer experience in important cities around the world. Athens will be one of them and this is an opportunity to show the strength and uniqueness our community.
GLOW IN THE DARK
SIX DOGS, ATHENS OCTOBER 2023 A message from beyond the grave A Spooktacular Halloween Night! #9 at six d.o.g.s Music by Chrysos Synodinos, Nalyssa Green, Konstantinos Menelaou Artistic Direction by The queer archive
2022
KAVLA 2
KAVLA #2 KAVLA is an independent publication of The Queer Archive Festival involving LGBTQI+ artists of all creative backgrounds. Editors Konstantinos Menelaou and Vassilia Kaga invited artists, writers, poets and thinkers to participate in a queer dialogue of aesthetics and words and to ignite fresh and meaningful conversations around queer experience, art and culture. Contributors include: Javier cerrada Konstantinos Tsolakis Danae Charalampidou Mochi Jamie Edler Rick Castro @mana_raver Lasse Långström Goody Green Alvina Chamberland Lele Alex la Cruz Vassilis Gerasopoulos John Nikolopoulos Rory Midhani Maria Petridis Alexa Vachon Eirini P Alina Gross Marlon Rueberg Iacovos Rafael Medina
Wet
CANTINA ANTISOCIAL, ATHENS MAY 2022 Curated by Menelas, Vassilia Kaga, Konstantinos Menelaou In collaboration with Satyrs and Maenads: the Athens porn film festival this is a selection of the hottest short films around that push the boundaries between art, porn and beyond. The Art Project (2019) Dir. Lily Lu GERMANY Fisherman (2021) Dir. Nicky Miller GERMANY Enough (2019) Dir. Kate Sinclaire CANADA Baby (2018) Dir. Evie Snax GER/USA Wild Garden (2022) Dir. Antonio da Silva - PORTUGAL Ruptured (2021) Dir. Max Disgrace GER/UK Tribute (2018) Dir. Max Disgrace UK Ηοmage to Blowjob (2019) Dir. Bruce Labruce - CANADA Hold (2021) Dir. Marit Östberg - SWEDEN
Let's talk about gender, baby
CANTINA ANTISOCIAL, ATHENS MAY 2022 Curated by Menelas, Vassilia Kaga, Konstantinos Menelaou In collaboration with Satyrs and Maenads: the Athens porn film festival this is a selection of the hottest short films around that push the boundaries between art, porn and beyond. The Art Project (2019) Dir. Lily Lu GERMANY Fisherman (2021) Dir. Nicky Miller GERMANY Enough (2019) Dir. Kate Sinclaire CANADA Baby (2018) Dir. Evie Snax GER/USA Wild Garden (2022) Dir. Antonio da Silva - PORTUGAL Ruptured (2021) Dir. Max Disgrace GER/UK Tribute (2018) Dir. Max Disgrace UK Ηοmage to Blowjob (2019) Dir. Bruce Labruce - CANADA Hold (2021) Dir. Marit Östberg - SWEDEN
XXXMAS RATED
LIGHTHOUSE HOTEL, ATHENS DECEMBER 2022 10 international artists have created around the theme of Christmas and donated an artwork for sale during the exhibition. All profits went to Praxis - an Athens-based organization that cares for the homeless and those in need. ARTISTS Kostis Fokas / Eden Levi Am / Jason Morris / George Striftaris / Alina Gross / Vasilis Vilaras / Unseen That / Ori Paul Levi / George Kontos / Yan Petris
UNDERGROUND 4 UKRAINE
HYPER HYPO, ATHENS May 2022 Curated by Alex King & Ivan March A solidarity and fundraising event, with artworks available to purchase from some of Ukraine’s foremost queer artists. Ukraine’s queer artists and activists have been fighting fearlessly for the dream of rights, dignity, tolerance, inclusion and positivity – a hopeful, democratic future for one of Europe’s youngest nations. Almost a decade after the Euromaidan uprising captured the world’s imagination, a post-revolutionary energy is still burning brightly and can be felt in the freedom and self expression’s in Kyiv’s interlocking art, activist and club culture scenes. Ukraine’s heroic resistance against an overwhelmingly more powerful Russian military has shocked and surprised outside observers. But for anyone who has ever stepped foot in Kyiv in recent years, it comes as no surprise: Ukrainians have been fighting for freedom and a positive future, through acts of defiance big and small, for years – generations even. This group show is organised under the banner of Underground 4 Ukraine, a European-wide network of countercultural organisations making acts of solidarity with their counterparts in Ukraine. A selection of prints will be available for purchase, with proceeds shared between the artists and organisations providing humanitarian support on the ground in Ukraine right now. https://underground4ukraine.org/ ARTISTS Anton Shebetko Rebel Queers Zhenya Tramvay Bogdan Moroz Kinder Limo
FEMME4FEMME4EVER
HAUS N ATHEN, ATHENS MAY 2022 Curated by Vassilia Kaga ARTISTS Rory Midhani Antigoni Bunny Tsagkaropoulou h0tgir1bummrr Eleni Bagaki alienprincesshasgreasyhair Theodora Savvalaridi Vas Lazaridou Artemisia Reppa Sofia Rozaki Rafael Medina Spyros Rennt This exhibition is about subverting toxic masculinity in the queer community through reinvigorating femme-ness and all of its powers. But what is femme-ness in a patriarchial world? The goal of the exhibition is to bring together work that highlights all kinds of femininity, especially the failing femmes, the femmes without abs, the fatties with bellies, the femmes that ruin their make up; the bimbos and faggot himbos. Images shape our worlds. Capitalism requires bodies that can produce and reproduce normalized values, masculinities that can labor (in the traditional sense) and sell clothes and products with their abs. Our intention is to fuck this up. period. Queer femmes love and hate both – they don’t ask what bodies are good, they ask what different kinds of bodies can do. FEMME4FEMME4EVER is assembled in videos, paintings, photographs and installations.
THE QUEER ARCHIVE FESTIVAL #3
ATHENS MAY 2022 Dedicated to promoting the queer arts and culture as well as giving artists across the board a platform where they can showcase their work, the festival supports both Greek and international leading artists alongside the best emerging talent whose work touches upon queered or queer-responsive approaches to human experience. Open and accessible to all, “The Queer Archive Festival” suggests a diverse programme that cuts across a wide range of disciplines and mediums and brings together artists, activists, curators, venues, artist-run spaces and spectators in a citywide celebration of the very best of queer arts and culture. Video installations, exhibitions, walks, workshops, master-classes, experiential art, performances and numerous other forms of contemporary media is part of the festival’s activity. Focused on highlighting talent, encouraging creativity and, promoting engaging and progressive contemporary art, which reflects modern queer culture, the festival ultimately aims at creating a bustling hub that praises diversity and supports social inclusivity. The term “queer”, which still resists strict definition, is today used as an umbrella term for a wide range of genders and sexual identities that exceed and blur binary lines, opening up space and creating new, vibrant and inclusive landscapes. “Queer” often commonly linked to the LGBTQI+ culture, but can also be interpreted in a broader sense at the same time; for instance, in a transverse as well as resistant fashion to the norm and as a hybrid form. The Queer Archive Festival is a celebration of all the things that bring us together as a community; a celebration of love and queer culture in all its forms. The queer experience is certainly a continuous struggle, yet our existence cannot be reduced to that, even though there are gains derived from this very struggle which makes our community resilient, robust and creative. The queer experience is gratifying and is to be relished to the utmost. The festival is powered by the creative platform “The Queer Archive” with the support of Onassis Stegi. Creative director/Programmer: Konstantinos Menelaou Curators: Vassilia Kaga, Konstantinos Menelaou, Alex King, Ivan March, Menelas, Doreen Toutikian, Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, Widmertheodoridis Programme Assistant: Angeliki Kouroutzi Production Manager: Angelos Paschalidis Sponsorships: Helene Flodrops Creative Design: Unseen That Production Co-ordinator: Ilias Gkionis Legal: Yiannis Papadopoulos Kavla Fanzine Design: Yan Petris, A Project By Kavla Fanzine Editors: Konstantinos Menelaou, Vassilia Kaga Press: Danai Vardali Poster photography: Kostis Fokas Poster design: Yan Petris
BANANA AND THE MONKEY
Banana and the Monkey: Gone Fishing is the first installment of a series of riso printed queer zines created for the children of the future of any age and their cool parents by the cultural platform The Queer Archive. Story and characters are created by filmmaker/curator Konstantinos Menelaou and illustrations by artist George Kontos. Banana and the Monkey are two unconventional characters that were created through the need for simplicity in the chaotic world that we live in. Not taking their ability to function as human beings for granted and leaning towards a queer lifestyle, they become outcasts, representing the other, possible victims of oppression and injustice. However, their optimistic, positive energy and total neglect for what is perceived as normal are the qualities this project aims to nurture. Konstantinos Menelaou and George Kontos started their conversation on the project in 2020 and in the process they discovered the multiple interpretations deriving from these two characters through different media. The zine was of primal interest aiming at inspiring inclusivity to a younger generation, while the artworks that were created from and inspired by the two characters and their universe present a more open and experimental approach to innocence and unapologetic existence.
OMGYNO
HADOKEN CLUB, ATHENS MAY 2022 Omgyno and friends team up to give you a curated program of hands-on workshops, open discussions in an intimate setting, and a screening that aims to dispel shame about our vulvas. Programme includes: ● Open Kitchen: DIY Workshop Recipes a. Water-based homemade lube: Over the counter lubes often contain ingredients such as petrochemicals, endocrine-disrupting parabens, candida infection-inducing glycerin and skin-irritating propylene glycol. This is sort of the opposite effect to what we are really looking for! We take out pots & pans and make our own water-based lube for a more pleasurable experience all round. b. Make your own self protection spray: We all know that assault does not mean strangers and dark alleys. Fear cannot be the soundtrack for our lives playing on a loop. We take care of each other and stay safe. With 3 easy ingredients we make and bottle our own self protection spray. ● Open Discussion with Dr Amalia Savvidi, Queer Gynecology (talk followed by Q &A) Dr Amalia Savvidi is a gynecologist at omgyno who provides valuable education on queer gynecology. She will talk about her approach alongside the obstacles she encounters in her practice, and give advise on best practices to enjoy sex-positive experiences while being aware and protected from harmful infections. Participants will be asked to write questions anonymously on post-its, which Dr Amalia will answer openly to the public. ● Screening of Zen Pussy: A Meditation on Eleven Vulvas by Dr Annie Sprinkle and Joseph Kramer. Every vulva is an entire erotic universe waiting to be explored. This unique meditation from Annie Sprinkle and Joseph Kramer artfully presents extreme close-ups of eleven of their erotically-gifted friends. Contemplating vulva can stimulate creativity, access ancient wisdom, dispel shame, bring about enlightenment, and arouse plenty of good old-fashioned erotic pleasure. Zen Pussy has been featured in over twenty international film festivals. Note: This event is dedicated to people who have a vagina, and it is about creating a safe space to discuss openly about issues that concern them. We love you all, but if you don't have a vagina, this event will not be relevant for you. Thank you for your understanding and support. Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, Doreen Toutikian, Katerina Papageorgiou, and Dr Amalia Savvidi Doreen and Xenia met in Delphi in 2019, as lifetime members of the art world and the queer community the duo set out to come together for an evening of ultimate vulva love and self-protection with workshops, screenings and open discussions on all things taboo. Xenia Kalpaktsoglou is a curator and a founding member of Laboratory for the Urban Commons, an Athens-based collective that develops and produces research, artistic practices, urban interventions and education via common use and sharing. In 2021 Doreen founded omgyno, a sexual health platform that supports people with vaginas to have access to sex education, progressive doctors, home tests and sustainable period care products. Katerina Papageorgiou is the communications manager at omgyno. Dr. Amalia Savvidi is a gynecologist and obstetrician at the General Hospital of Heraklion.
KARAOKE EXTRAVAGANZA
ROMANTSO, ATHENS MAY 2022 HOSTED BY A man to pet LIVE: Nalyssa Green LIVE: Kristof DJ SET: D'Arcy Foxx
LA DRAG BOUFFE
LIGHTHOUSE HOTEL, ATHENS MAY 2022 What happens when you bring A man to pet and Vasilis Kallidis together? A grande drag bouffe! Join us at Lighthouse Athens by Brown Hotels restaurant for a performative 3 course meal especially prepared by chef Vassilis Kallidis for the occasion with ingredients sourced only from Omonoia square. Performer A man to pet will be there to disturb the peace between your courses.
TEDDY BEAR
A man returns to Athens and settles into a new flat, where quiet days unfold in solitude. Surrounded by the stillness of the city and the emptiness of his space, he begins to confront the echo of a love left behind. Through tender voice messages never sent, he speaks to the man he once loved — fragments of affection, regret, and longing that fill the silence of his days. Homecoming is a poetic exploration of absence, capturing the emotional residue of a relationship that still lingers. With minimal dialogue and a focus on atmosphere, the film gently unpacks the weight of memory and the quiet ache of trying to move on — when part of you still hasn’t.
DISCO AEROBICS
ROMANTSO, ATHENS MAY 2022 Have ever been to a gym class and felt so happy and energetic as if you were on the dance floor? Now you have the chance to do both at the same time. Join us for two early afternoon classes where we mix high intensity aerobics by the talented Dimitris Giannoulis accompanied by a DJ set by iconic Clubkid.
PRIDE POOL PARTY
LIGHTHOUSE HOTEL, ATHENS JUNE 2022 The Queer Archive and Lighthouse Athens invites you to celebrate Athens Pride with the best view and the best ladies in town! International phenomenon A MAN TO PET and our very own Goddess CHRAJA will join forces for one afternoon of swimming pool fun, beats that make you go aaaaahhhhhhh, frenetic dancing, performances that defy gravity, sexy nakedness and colourful cocktails. Kill your bikinis and come topless, burn your shorts and wear a speedo and join us for a summer session at the top of Lighthouse Athens in Omonoia where we will get you all fired up for the Athens Pride parade and all that follows.
2021
To be willing to march..
KICK GALLERY, Athens JUNE 2021 Curated by Marina Doritis Queerness is a longing that propels us onward, beyond romances of the negative and toiling in the present. Queerness is that thing that lets us feel that this world is not enough, that indeed something is missing. – José Esteban Muñoz The screening To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause presents video works by artists that deploy music, sound, and storytelling to explore queer narratives. At the heart of the selected works is a desire to share personal experiences and public histories, and to broach ideas around sexuality and gender politics. The notion of performativity is evident in all the works, recalling the writings of José Esteban Muñoz and the utopian potential of the queer aesthetic and subject. My Barbarian Counterpublicity, 2014 Pauline Boudry and Renate Lorenz To Valerie Solanas and Marilyn Monroe in Recognition of their Desperation, 2013 Edward Thomasson Pressure, 2016 Jasmine Johnson More Than Two: Omnibus, 2018 Evan Ifekoya The Gender Song, 2014 P. Staff The Foundation, 2015 Christodoulos Panayioutou Utopian Songs, 2007
2020
KAVLA 1
KAVLA #1 The Queer Archive Festival 2020, together with the support of the Onassis Stegi released the first issue of fanzine KAVLA in June 2021. KAVLA is an independent publication of The Queer Archive Festival involving LGBTQI+ artists of all creative backgrounds. Editors Konstantinos Menelaou and Helias Doulis invited artists, writers, poets and thinkers to participate in a queer dialogue of aesthetics and words and to ignite fresh and meaningful conversations around queer experience, art and culture. KAVLA'S DNA is based on humor, companionship, sex, romance and self-sarcasm.
The Sauna Session
ALEXANDER SAUNA, ATHENS FEBRUARY 2020 Curated by Konstantinos Menelaou OLYMPE DE G, ANTONIO DA SILVA, BRUCE LABRUCE, ARON KANTOR, RAFAEL PEREZ EVENS, MENELAS, JORDI ESTRADA, SLAVA MOGUTIN Bathhouses were initially places for gay men to come together and enjoy their sexuality without having to hide or feel ashamed of their natural choices. They were places of solidarity and fun. In the age of Grindr and instant gratification, they have become an extension of a social media frenzy, offering a quick fix. However, they still promote personal contact (physical and emotional), as well as the opportunity for the queer community to get together and celebrate love. The Sauna Session took place at the Alexander Sauna in central Athens taking over 5 floors. International artists and filmmakers including SLAVA MOGUTIN, ARON KANTOR, RAFAEL PEREZ EVANS, ANTONIO DA SILVA, BRUCE LA BRUCE showcased their work in the basement’s Sling Room, 1st floor’s Private Cabins, and 2nd floor’s Prison Cabins. There were also films from The Queer Archive’s archive and the world premier of OLYMPE DE G’s “WE ARE THE FUCKING WORLD”. The venue was open to everyone regardless of gender, sexual agenda and nationality.
Caught in the act
THE BREEDER GALLERY, ATHENS FEBRUARY 2020 Curated by Stuart Comer Suspended between militant masculinity and polymorphous perversity, secret codes and shameless exhibitionism, creeping shame and ecstatic resistance, this constellation of fragments celebrates the ruins, the future and the endlessly shifting parameters of the queer, post-queer and post-post-queer archiveSuspended between militant masculinity and polymorphous perversity, secret codes and shameless exhibitionism, creeping shame and ecstatic resistance, this constellation of fragments celebrates the ruins, the future and the endlessly shifting parameters of the queer, post-queer and post-post-queer archive