LIFE’S A PARADE, HIDDEN NIGHTCLUB.
scroll down to read about the event and inspiration behind it.
To celebrate the launch of my book, ‘Life’s a Parade’ , we hosted an exhibition at Hidden Nightclub in Manchester. We, @artiscomingcollective , @daguwrlz , multiple DJS , models , performers and creatives of various disciplines, took over the space.
Hidden was into mine and XXS, old home, the ‘Doll House’. We lived on a road that was once painted entirely pink for two weeks, which was comissioned by Barbie and we found out right at the end of our year on Ash Street. The house was what dreams were made of for both me and XXS. The year came to a sad and abrupt ending, being served a Section 28, as the landlord wanted to sell the property. Me and Usman tried to look for multiple other places and had little luck. 4 months on, we are now in December, our stuff is still in storage.
I had to move in with my grandparents for half the summer, whilst Usman stayed on sofa’s and commuted to work often from Birmingham to Manchester. I rented a room, from a friend, for a month in October, which meant I was able to return back to Manchester. Still trying to look for a rented properly, I had then lost my job, meaning that it became increasingly more difficult. Two months on I am now staying on a friends sofa, looking for work and about to take over another friends tennancy agreement, whilst I disco shift my way through the end of the year.
The end of this year has been manic.
The doll house came to an end, which is why we turned Hidden into a squat like double of our house.
We are so thankful for the people around us who have been able to support us, provide us with any form of support.
It is hard being a creative, but I don’t see it as much of a choice. It is more of a calling and feeling. It heals me and keeps me sane. I have felt the feeling of having a lack of ‘home’ and ‘stabilty’ through a lot of my life. I have moved around a dozen times and I am just 23. Living between various families houses, due to a broken home, teenage parents and mum who struggled with addiction issues. My dad went to uni at 30 and came back he, himself struggled with years of unemployment. Both my grandparents provided rooms for us to stay when things got too much, my aunt did too, a lot of my friends from home as well.
Moving to Manchester was what my dreams were, going to uni and escaping. It wasn’t really university what saved me though. It was meeting Usman. The first person, who I found and I thought she was just like me. We have been sister’s since the moment we met. Soul mates! Times have been tough and we have been through hell together. Loss of jobs, me loosing my mum, guilt, friends stuggling with addiction, identity, loosing our home, at points loosing ourselves and relying on each other financially. This exhibition was meant to highlight our bond and the community, we have came into since meeting eachother.
I owe a lot to Manchester, I found myself here and because of that I will never stop doing what I can to support those living in the city, particularly the queer community who see’s me and gives me so much love and life. I will be forever grateful.
