The Photobook Café and The Cock Tavern are coming together in celebration of Queer Culture, in response to this year’s 2024 Pride, by hosting a multidisciplinary group exhibition over London Pride Weekend. Giving a platform for both emerging and established artists, Cock For Pride aims to ignite a dialogue between the diversity of Queer voices on an international scale. Farika Holden, Leean James and Patrick Black are exploring the other side of The Cock, by marking this year's Pride within the public Programme at The Photobook Cafe, for the first time.
Sponsored by The Cock Tavern, standing for friendship and inclusivity, a queer bar located in Kennington and hosted at The Photobook Café, an established cultural and creative landmark in Shoreditch. Placed at the intersection of queerness, contemporary art and the public cultural sector we consider the LGBTQIA+ community as an integral part of our shared communities. At The Cock we believe that friendship overrides race, religion and sexuality, and it is with this in mind, that we aim to advance our Public Programme and Nightlife actively, by hosting an exhibition comprising of LGBTQIA+ artists. Cock For Pride strives for inclusivity by actively encouraging all exhibiting artists to self-select artworks that represent their individual voices.
In celebration of our past and the succession of the iconic Nelsons Head, we have invited Documentary and Portrait Photographer Rebecca Zephyr Thomas, to exhibit and collaborate with us, with an exclusive written interview between The Photobook Cafe and Thomas. We will be exploring their photographic archives of The Nelsons Head throughout the years, this interview will be available on our socials in the lead up to the exhibition. Alongside the showcase of Nicky and Sharon, a photograph captured by Thomas wearing looks by Max Allen, Ms Sharon Le Grand an iconic performance artist, and Nicky a professional clown, musician and performer, will be the face of Cock For Pride. With printing supported by Rapid Eye Dakrooms, a B&W, Colour lab in Shoreditch the opening evening will see Editions available to purchase with all profits going towards Friends of The Joiners Arms, a community run Queer venue in London.
Open to all, our public opening at The Photobook Cafe on Saturday 29th June, which falls on London Pride Weekend, will act as an extension to hold space for underrepresented and established Queer Talents to come together during a time of celebration. The evening of the 29th, will see a curated selection of cocktails by our Bar team and live music by Queer talents.
Exhibiting artists include: Maisie Cowell, Gabriel Annouka, Billy Jude Slicks, Austn Fischer, Rebecca Zephyr Thomas, Antonio Mingot, Cherry Au, Giulio Ventisei, JC Candanedo, Cris Volpe, George from London and Ian Kay.
All are welcome to our free opening Saturday 29th June, from 18:00-22:00. Please RSVP via our website photobookcafe.co.uk. Cock For Pride will run 29th-30th June
Public Programme
The exhibition is accompanied by a public programme celebrating Pride 2024. The Photobook Cafe’s on site Library and Archive has been curated with Queer publishers and creatives at the forefront, seeing publications by Jesse Glazzard and Marc Vallée to name just a few. Which will be on display throughout June, and will remain in our permanent collection open to the public. Rebecca Zephyr Thomas has joined us for our first Photobook Cafe Journal Post, where they explored their photographic archives of the Iconic Nelsons Head, and their own thoughts on shooting Sharon and Nicky, the face of Cock For Pride. A selection of limited edition prints from our exhibiting artists will be available to purchase on our online Print Sales platform, with all profits going to Friends of The Joiners Arms, a community run Queer venue in London. Our opening on the 29th will see a selection of curated Cocktails and music by Queer Talents. Bringing the celebration to the front of The Photobook Cafe, our onsite A Board will have a carefully curated spoken word by Debbie Sim, from the vibrant Museum of Sex Objects, beautifully designed by Giulio Ventisei.
Website and Library Archive: photobookcafe.co.uk
Print Sales: photobookcafeshop.com
About The Cock Tavern
Farika is famous for her legendary watering holes scattered throughout London since the 90s, and most recently the adored and much missed Nelson’s Head by Columbia road flower market.In December 2017 Farika and her team Patrick Black and Leean James packed up their juke box and moved a few stops down the Northern line to Kennington, to bring new life to the 200 year old Cock Tavern. Together with their magic team of genuinely lovely and super friendly bar staff, headed up by Daniel, guests can expect a warm welcome and great service.
We stand for friendship and inclusivity.
340 Kennington Road
London, SE11 4LD
United Kingdom
Supported by
Cock For Pride is generously sponsored by The Cock Tavern with printing from Rapid Eye Darkrooms.
With many thanks to all exhibiting and collaborating artists.