On Railton Road by Ian Giles

In the 1970s lots of gays squatted in Brixton - they made homes, gardens, plays and staged marches. This book of photographs from Ian Townson’s archive has been edited by artist Ian Giles. The collected images in this publication have been loosely gathered around the themes of domestic life, protest and theatre-making. We see gay people establishing their identities outside of heteronormative structures within spaces of their own making. These pioneering men pushed against the tautness of 1970s conservatism through humour, passion and wholehearted queerness.

Product Information

2023

Softcover

A5, 56 pages

About the Artist

Ian Giles was born in Gloucester in 1985. Working across performance, moving image, installation, painting and events; his work fosters new networks to record and celebrate queer histories and experiences.

He completed his BFA at Chelsea College of Arts and his MFA at the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL. 

Selected exhibitions, performances and screenings include: Soft Structures at MIMA, Middlesbrough [2023/24]; ‘On Railton Road’ at Museum of the Home, London [2023]; ‘A Clear Comfort’ at Van Gogh House, London [2023]; ‘The London Open’ at Whitechapel Gallery, London [2022]; ‘Outhouse’, Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge & Firstsite, Colchester [2019] and ‘After BUTT’ at MoMA PS1 during the NY Art Book Fair, New York [2018].

He was a New Geographies commissioned artist [2018/20]. His resulting performance and installation was acquired with the support from the V&A Purchase Grant Fund for Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery Collection.