Queer Spaces: An Atlas of LGBTQ+ Places and Stories with Adam Nathaniel Furman and Joshua Mardell
In celebration of Pride Month, join designer Adam Nathaniel Furman and architecture historian Joshua Mardell, editors of the recent publication Queer Spaces: An Atlas of LGBTQ+ Places and Stories, to discuss why queer spaces are so important and how they compiled the diverse and international selection of spaces included in the book. For Queer Spaces, Furman and Mardell gathered together a community of contributors to share stories of spaces that range from the educational to the institutional to the re-appropriated, and more. With historic, contemporary, and speculative examples from around the world, Queer Spaces recognizes LGBTQIA+ life past and present as strong, vibrant, vigorous, and worthy of its own place in history. Looking forward, it suggests visions of what form these spaces may take in the future to continue uplifting queer lives.
About the Program
- Program Length: 60 minutes
- Interactivity Level: Low
- Intended Audience: People curious about design, architecture, urban design, speculative design, queer spaces and queer culture. No previous design or design history knowledge is required.
Speakers
Adam Nathaniel Furman
Furman is an artist and designer based in London who founded an atelier that creates projects of all scales from plates to skyscrapers, in various locations around the world from Tokyo to Milan.
Dr. Joshua Mardell
Mardell is an architectural historian. He is a Research Tutor in the School of Architecture at the Royal College of Art, and co-editor of the Journal of Architecture. He has published widely on 19th and 20th century architecture including in AA Files, Architectural History, The Journal of Architecture, and the Antiquaries Journal.
George Benson (Moderator), Assistant Educator, Learning & Engagement Department, The Museum of Modern Art
George Benson has worked at some of the largest museums in the world, advocating for greater representation of LGBTQ+ people, history, and culture in each of them. At The British Museum, Benson advised on their first LGBTQ+ exhibition, which overviewed 10,000 years of queer history from across the world. At The Museum of Modern Art, Benson co-wrote their first ever public queer tour, inviting participants to discuss what makes an artwork queer. Benson has also written for the NYC LGBT Historic Sites project, a nonprofit organization that documents sites of historical significance to the LGBT community across NYC.
Accessibility
This program will feature a lecture with a slideshow presentation followed by an audience Q&A hosted through Zoom, with the option to dial in as well. Details will be emailed to you upon registration. This program includes closed captioning. It will be recorded and available on Cooper Hewitt’s YouTube channel a week following the lecture. For general questions or if we can provide additional accessibility services or accommodations to support your participation in this program, please email us at CHEducation@si.edu or let us know when registering.
SPECIAL THANKS
This event is made possible with major support from PwC Charitable Foundation.
