Gallery: Desire in the Archive
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On 10 February 2023, our Library was home to Desire in the Archive, an anti-Valentine's Day evening that celebrated queer-flavoured desire.
Bringing together poetry, discussion, drag performance, stripper life drawing and archival displays, this event laughed at the usual saccharine trappings of Valentine's Day. The audience were stirred by poets SL Grange and Aimée Lê, informed by a conversation between Jordan Osserman and Jamie Hakim, stimulated by a life drawing class with the East London Stripper Collective, and entertained by drag performers Bolly-Illusion and Saya Tikka.
Photographer, Valerie Leona was on hand to get some shots from the evening. Check out the gallery below.
Image gallery
A gallery slider
![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222538/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-1_994acee7428d810ddf2ab8d1afedc5c3.jpg)
SL Grange reading historical poetry
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222545/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-8_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Audience members listening to SL Grange
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222544/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-7_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Audience members listening to SL Grange
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222539/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-2_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Audience members listening to Aimée Lê
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222542/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-5_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Event in the Library
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222548/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-11_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Jordan Osserman in conversation with Jamie Hakim
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222547/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-10_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Archive displays and badge making in the Researchers Area
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222673/IMG_7660_54b282fb00dd23aa2201cd1b40182ab7.gif)
Aimée Lê reading poetry
Credit : Bishopsgate Institute![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222674/IMG_7680_54b282fb00dd23aa2201cd1b40182ab7.gif)
Aimée Lê reading poetry
Credit : Bishopsgate Institute![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222543/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-6_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Audience members listening to Aimée Lê
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222557/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-20_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Life drawing with the East London Stripper Collective
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222549/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-12_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Life drawing with the East London Stripper Collective
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222546/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-9_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Life drawing with the East London Stripper Collective
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222550/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-13_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Life drawing with the East London Stripper Collective
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222551/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-14_994acee7428d810ddf2ab8d1afedc5c3.jpg)
Saya Tikka enters the library
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222552/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-15_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Saya Tikka performing in the library
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222553/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-16_994acee7428d810ddf2ab8d1afedc5c3.jpg)
Bolly-Illusion performing in the library
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222540/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-3_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Watching the performance
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222554/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-17_994acee7428d810ddf2ab8d1afedc5c3.jpg)
Bolly-Illusion performing in the library
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222555/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-18_994acee7428d810ddf2ab8d1afedc5c3.jpg)
Bolly-Illusion and Saya Tikka performing in the library
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222541/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-4_386f058fe2466438d87e734febd43f32.jpg)
Watching the performance
Credit : Valerie Leona![](https://d245m47bicpi64.cloudfront.net/_imager/files/222556/Desire-in-the-Archive-23-Valerie-Leona-19_994acee7428d810ddf2ab8d1afedc5c3.jpg)
Bolly-Illusion and Saya Tikka take a bow
Credit : Valerie LeonaThere are plenty more events coming up this spring, including Kink in the Archive. For more information, check out or Special Events page.
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