The weeks that were Oct 18th - 31st
Burger adores these sparkly boots - they’re his now (pic by Lars).
Working on…
Getting everything ready and prepped for a two-week at-home painting retreat. I haven’t had a lot of time this year to paint, and OMG I’m really feeling it, so for two glorious weeks in November I’ve cleared the decks so I can lose myself in my paintbox. I’m not intending to produce anything noteworthy - the idea is to just give myself some time to play and experiment and have fun. I can’t wait! Everyone cross your fingers I don’t get sick again…
Thinking about…
Art snobbery. I expect a certain amount of it around fine art. It’s not great, but it happens, whatever. But I went to a panel at CPH Zine Fest last week that made me very grumpy, because apparently even punk, DIY self-publishing isn’t immune. There was a lot of talk about what counts as a “real zine”: analogue, handmade, photocopied, political, not too pretty, not an artist book, etc etc etc. Frankly, it pissed me off. Zines are supposed to be about anyone being able to make and share their ideas, and what came across as nostalgia for one particular aesthetic is just as ableist, rigid, and gate-keepy as the mainstream that zines were invented to get around. My take? If you want to make a zine, just make a fucking zine. Collage and a photocopier, or desktop publishing and print-on-demand; scribbled in biro or beautifully typeset and designed: it’s all valid.
Reading…
The Tapestry of Fate by S.A. Chakraborty
This finally became available at the library and I cannot wait to dive back in to the wonderful world of my favourite middle-aged lady pirate, Amina al-Sirafi. I’m so excited I almost can’t bear to open it, but I have been reassured by my YouTube subscribers that it’s just as good as the first one. Squee!
Watching…
King of Drag (2026)
If you have spent a single minute in my universe you will know that I am obsessed with drag in all its forms, but one form I’ve not looked too deeply into is that of drag kings. This show is a sort of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’-style competition show but for kings instead of queens, and I have to say, my head has been turned. Drag kings are super fucking cool, and the history of it is absolutely fascinating. I can’t recommend this show enough as a primer, and I’m so looking forward to diving even deeper into this incredible art.
Catch up on previous weeks:
