The Goethe-Institut Cyprus, in collaboration with Institut Français de Chypre, Queer Wave, and NiMAC, presents a unique exhibition titled nono, bad timing!, which delves into the concept of queerness through the lens of archival history. This exhibition focuses on capturing queer times and spaces by bringing together historical materials from significant archives, including the Mémoire des Sexualités in Marseille and the Schwules Museum in Berlin. It will be inaugurated during the opening night of this year’s Queer Wave Festival on September 20 and will continue until November 9.
Evolving Exhibition: A Laboratory for Cultural Proposals
Starting in October, nono, bad timing! will transition into an evolving space, serving as a laboratory for cultural practitioners based in Cyprus. This space will allow them to introduce new artistic proposals, expanding the exhibition’s scope. Simultaneously, a touring exhibition titled Queer As German Folk will be fully showcased at the Goethe-Institut in Nicosia, as part of the same overarching project.
Challenging Conventional Narratives
The exhibition examines how temporal, spatial, and sexual dissonance challenge the idea of a universal human experience. With a non-linear narrative approach, nono, bad timing! disrupts conventional rhythms and dialogues, aiming to explore new possibilities for archiving. The exhibition asks: How can suppressed histories be reclaimed, and who or what benefits from these processes?
Materials on Display: A Journey Through Queer History
The Mémoire des Sexualités archive has preserved a vast collection of documents chronicling the history of homosexuality in France and beyond, from 1978 to 2015. One significant highlight is the images from the Summer Universities of Homosexualities in 1979, which form a key part of this exhibition.
The accompanying Queer as German Folk material offers insight into spaces of empowerment and queer movements in Germany, with a specific focus on the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. This section traces the development of queer activism in both East and West Germany and their eventual reunification, examining the ongoing connection with queer movements in the United States.
Cyprus-Based Cultural Practitioners as Archivists
In their role as resident archivists, several Cyprus-based cultural practitioners will contribute their unique perspectives to the exhibition:
- Loizos Olympios will explore the necessity and joy of library/reading spaces.
- Logan Bellew will utilize photography as a medium to investigate identity and narrative creation.
- Diomedes Koufteros will focus on collecting stories and sharing personal archives in public spaces.
- Gabriel Koureas will offer a critique of institutions and create archives of emotions.
- Evita Ioannou will delve into dramaturgy and performance.
Exhibition Details
- Title: nono, bad timing!
- Dates: September 20 – November 9
- Location: Goethe-Institut Cyprus, Nicosia
- Opening Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 AM – 9 PM
- Website: Goethe Cyprus
This process-based exhibition is a deep dive into queer history, art, and cultural expression, creating a dynamic and evolving dialogue between past and present.
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