HEEZY YANG: RETROSPECTIVE SHOW and EVENING OF QUEER PERFORMANCE

About

Co-curators Lawrence Blackman and Joshua Freddie Vaughan (of Take Courage Gallery) are extremely excited to present a retrospective show of one of South Korea’s most prominent LGBTQ+ activists, Heezy Yang, and an accompanying selection of special guests from across Londons LGBTQ+ community. 

This will Include Scott Flasheart from the multi award winning Probably True Podcast and queer performance organized by Lysander Dove, of Bar Wotever at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. 

Yang’s practise spans photography, illustration and performance, which he merges with his activism which is breaking new ground in Asia. Through his wide ranging work he records the experience of living as an openly gay man in Seoul, alongside the vibrant scene he is at the centre of. He is well known through his drag performance identity, Hurricane Kimchi, and is founding member and central organiser of Seoul Drag Parade, as well as numerous other events including Seoul Pride.

Heezy Yang is raising the volume of conversation in South Korea for LGBTQ+ and non-heteronormative individuals who face pervasive discrimination. He is listed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list of 2018 for his activism, and has additionally appeared on numerous platforms including SOAS, University of the Arts, London, and the BBC. 

It is our great pleasure to invite him to Take Courage Gallery, for a pop-up retrospective of his art works and practice so far. As well as performing and exhibiting, he will be present for questions and conversation in a unique opportunity for insight into international LGBT activism.

If this wasn’t enough, we are also very excited to confirm that the manager of the legendary of Bar Wotever, Lysander Dove, will be hosting an evening of Queer performance at the Amersham Arms performance venue, to accompany Heezy Yang, and Scott Flashheart of the Probably True Podcast who will be interviewing Yang about his important, far reaching work.

This will not be just a retrospective, not just an evening of performance- this will be one of the queer events  of 2019 - a raucous and joyful celebration of identity, a clarion call for LGBTQ+ rights and identity and a reinforcement of the need for celebratory inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals.