Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 17:23:41 GMT From: Mattias Duyves PLEASE CIRCULATE Foundation ALBUM AMSTERDAM [International Information- and Exhibitioncenter for Expressions of Gay and Lesbian Cultures] Voetboogstraat 7 tel: #..-3120.623.7622 1012 XK AMSTERDAM fax: #..-3120.683.5198 The Netherlands email: duyves@fsw.ruu.nl email: hekma@sara.uva.nl Winter 1993/1994 Amsterdam, Dear Friends, On the occasion of Europride 1994 (15-26 June in Amsterdam, the Netherlands) the ALBUM-Foundation prepares for the realisation of an exciting new visual project, named My First Queer World Atlas. This letter is an invitation to you to help the non-profit project to succeed. Not with your money but with your personal knowledge of queer, gay or lesbian lifestyles. We want to consult you about some questions we have. Your answers will be extremely valuable for the effectiveness of the project. Your efforts will help to both enrich and promote the project. As a result of your co- operation, we can give to the world a resource for our times - My First Queer World Atlas. Imagine an atlas containing from 10 to 30 pages representing the world and the continents. The pages show visual images, both real and imagined, representing facts, figures, events, people, places and so on, all of which serve as a source, or a focus, or a symbol in queer, gay or lesbian life all over the world. The intention of My First Queer World Atlas is of a visual, artistic and playful representation of the collected data, rather than of a mere scientific display which would reduce its impact and its audience. The size of the pages will be large: 45 x 70 cm. The idea is to produce the original pages on a larger-than-life-format of 135 x 210 cm and install them as an imaginary globe during exhibitions or special occasions (just like the Quilt-Project). Design and display will be done by young European artists who have already proven their skills and commitment in the field of gay arts. My First Queer World Atlas will be a hand-made book and composed in a surrealist, rather than a realist or a natural style. The impact of My First Queer World Atlas can be likened to the first atlasses of China, Medieval Europe, the Dark Continent, the flowers or the oceans of the world. The geography of queer/gay/lesbian cultures is still in its infancy; the idea of a first atlas filled with a mix of imaginary and real data in an accessible style is both impressive and seductive; and such an atlas would represent a graphic outcome. The result will be a very rich book which will survive our era; a new way and a new landscape through which gay and lesbian cultures can express their selves. The big challenge facing My First Queer World Atlas is to succesfully collect examples and facts from all over the world. The project does not expect to be just a compendium of facts and figures: its impact will be in the imaginative ways the data is presented. Thus its success depends on examples which show the omnipresence and variety of expressions and lifestyles - and even regulation - of gay and lesbian life from all over the world. You can help us with your personal or professional things worth knowing of queer/gay/lesbian life in your country or city, in your daily experience, in your field of knowledge, or in your mental map of the world. We invite you to assist us in realizing this collective project. Our request is simple: send us, before May 1994, any data you remember or know of, which you would like to see included in a first queer world atlas. All kinds of data (intimate, historical, spatial, cultural, sexual, literary, political, medical, funny, nonsense etc. etc.) are welcome, as long as they can be visualized and localized within a certain spot/ place/ space/ city/ region/ country/ continent/ etc.). If possible, send us the following details of a certain fact, figure or focus: -the place of the event -the moment of the event -which type of event (medical, historical, artistic etc..) -if possible, the context of the event (briefly) -the source or origin of your knowledge, as precisely as possible -your full name and address, for responses (include fax/email etc.) and for credits. For instance, - Shiraz und Bagdad, wohnorte des Dichters Sa'di - geb. ca. 1213, gestorben um 1292 in Shiraz - Persischer Dichter der Themen 'shahid bazi' (Liebe fr junge M„nner). Gedichtbndel: 'Gulistan' (der Rosengarten) und 'Bustan' (Garten der Dfte). Beide Titel gelten als Synonyme fr Sch"nheit und Lust zwischen M„nnern. - Quelle: Maarten Schild, in: Wayne Dynes, Encyclopedia...II:1142. - New York City; - 1994 Gay Games - Fourth edition. First and second editions in San Francisco (1982,1986), third edition in Vancouver (1990). (Fifth edition in Amsterdam 1998, the Netherlands) - Bidbooks --------- - CimetiŠre du PŠre Lachaise, … Paris; - 1900 - la tombe Oscar Wilde - mort a Paris 1900. Ecrivain anglais, ami de Bosie. A v‚cu aussi … Capri - Richard Ellman, "Biographie Oscar Wilde", page ... -------- - Antinopolis; - 138 a.J.-C. - ville au bord du Nil, cr‚ee par Hadrian pour son petit ami Antinous - A. mort par noyade 130 a.J.-C., … l'age de 20 ans, pendant un tour de bateau sur le Nil. - Aldrich, "Seduction of the Mediterranean", 1993 pages 30-31 --------- ETCETERA...Thanks to you! We ask you to think about the idea of My First Queer World Atlas and to answer us soon. Why don't you rush from now till April through your journals, books, files, network of friends, or whatever, to collect details for the entrees. Don't hesitate to interest other playful people you know of, particularly in South-Europe, Africa, South-America or the Far-East. Please bring our request to the attention of afficionados and institutions in your field or environment, and ask them to send us any data as outlined above. Thank you very much for your attention. We are looking forward to your reply, sincerely, on behalf of the board of the ALBUM AMSTERDAM Foundation yours, Mattias DUYVES, Eva KEIJZER