175mm x 250mm, 90 pages, full colour, perfect bound, 2021.

Sam’s Eden is an exhibition in printed matter. Supported by Catalyst Arts, The Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Art Fund. Sam’s Eden is a snap shot of contemporary queer arts practice in 2021. Formed due to the closure of galleries in 2020 as a result of coronavirus, this publication presents the work of queer artists and writers. Named for Samual Steward, the book references the tactics by the queer community throughout history to communicate in secret. From letter writing to activist pamphlets to the use of virtual ‘safe’ space online and the raft of symbolism in mainstream media, forming a coded language only we could interpret.

The project worked with a number of artists in Ireland, the UK and Europe and attempted to forge new collaborative connections, as well as forming a youth led engagement initiative, the LGBTQ Stereing Committee with Reimagine, Remake and Replay (NI) to look at queer representation in contemporary museum collections in the North of Ireland.

Featuring Richard Martin, Ruth McCarthy, Day Magee, Claire Biddles, the LGBTQIA Steering Group, Jennifer Mehigan, Bassam Al-Sabah, Charlie Beare, Sorcha Ní Cheallaigh, Mark Cousins, Padriag Regan, Phillip McCrilly, Yarli Allison, Michaela Nash, Richard O’Leary, Ben Malcolmson.

Curated by Thomas Wells

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