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riffRAG has an account on the photo sharing site flickr. If you want to see more photos from our recent film screening and photosets from our past events, please visit our flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/riffrag. If you have a flickr account and want to keep up to date with us, please add us as a contact!

Queer Film Screening at Bluestockings

In honor of pride and independent, radical cinema riffrag presented an hour long program of frisky, queer cinema. riffRAG editor Felix curated the films and played VJ for the evening. For me who worked on the event planning side, I was able to sit back, relax and watch during the screening. It was the first time I had seen many of the films and I was struck by their diversity of form and queerness portrayed. From apartment voyeurism to repressed teenaged punks to animated workmen, the films were touching, sweet, funny and definitely sexy. As one friend said, "I have to go home and take a cold shower!" Many thanks to the Bluestockings staff, who are always amazing and supportive.

Introducing...

LNR introduced riffrag's evening of sexy, queer films last week while Felix passed around the can for donations to keep Bluestockings up and running. We were pleased to have new, beautiful polka dot muscle shirts designed and printed by Em 16. Look for more information about them on the blog soon.

Crowd at riffrag film screening

Many thanks to our friends new and old who came to Bluestockings Books last week on the Lower East Side for an evening of Sexy, Queer films.

June 21: riffRAG presents sexy queer shorts at BLUESTOCKINGS, New York City

On Thursday, June 21 at 7pm, riffRAG starts off Pride celebrations by presenting an evening of FREE sexy queer films. Get frisky with Todd Verow, porn collective 3MIH, Lucas Michael, Erica Chough, Luke Woodward, Samara Halpern, Ruy Huy, and many others.

This event will be held at Bluestockings Books, 172 Allen Street, between Stanton and Rivington, New York City (F train to 2nd Ave, exit at the 1st Ave).

Mixed Race Artist Panel Discussion

For those of you in NYC, you might want to check out this interesting discussion, featuring riffRAG artist and writer Lauren Jade Martin.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007
MIXED SKIN
Artist Talk and Panel Discussion on Mixed Race Issues
7:00 p.m. The Asian American Arts Centre (located in Lower Manhattan at 26 Bowery two blocks below Canal Street, 3rd floor above the McDonald's.)

See exhibition description for Mixed Skin and the work of the artists Kip Fulbeck, Dorothy Imagire, Toni Thomas at bottom of this page. Artists Dorothy Imagire and Toni Thomas will be joined by writers Johanna Eeva and Lauren Jade Martin and filmmaker Jessica Chen Drammeh for a panel discussion on the subject of mixed culture and identities.

In addition to organizing in the queer Asian community in Queens, Filipina-Finnish writer Johanna Eeva has been exploring what it means to be of mixed ethnicity in her zine Sisu.

A writer, artist, student, and educator who has been
active in anti-violence and social justice organizing, Lauren Jade Martin's
creative works explores the intersections of race, class, gender and
sexuality, exploring the fragmentation, overlapping and performance of
identities.

Filmmaker and multiracial organizer Jessica Chen Drammeh will screen an excerpt from Anamoly, a documentary offering a look at the experiences of several people of mixed race.

For more information, please visit artspiral.org.

Dance of the sperm children

This weekend in San Juan, Puerto Rico conservative political and religious leaders were joined by thousands in a protest against same-sex marriage and abortion rights in light of proposed changes to the island's civil code that would allow same-sex couples to have access to civil unions.

"Movingly, some of the organizers saw it fit to dress their kids as - ehem - sperm and, hm, teach them sperm choreography by the look of the photo above (from El Nuevo Dia). At least they were painted with the rainbow colors although I'm not so certain that it was in honor of gay pride month."

Read more on Blabbeando

Choice Cunts...a rare party for raw queers

riffRAG will be selling t-shirts, magazines, buttons and more at a party in Williamsburg, NY on Saturday, June 30th. Please come by and show your support!

Date: Saturday, June 30th

Location: Sultana @ 160 N4th between Bedford and Driggs in Williamsburg

Best train: L to Bedford Ave OR JMZ to Marcy Ave

Fly Market: The Fly Market will be open to the public from 8p - 10p and then only to Choice Cunts after 10pm.

Party Crew: DJ's, Dancers, and performers!

Chitra Ganesh

riffRAG issue 2 artist Chitra Ganesh is a part of Thomas Erben's "Upon Her Precipice" exhibit through June 16th.

UPON HER PRECIPICE
Thomas Erben Gallery
526 West 26th Street, 4th Floor
NY NY 10001
For more info please call 212-645-8701 or check out www.thomaserben.com
Extended through June 16th.

OTHER UPCOMING SHOWS THAT GANESH IS TAKING PART IN:

INTERSECTIONS : Collaborative Forces from the Artist-in-Residence Workspace Program
Henry Street Settlement Abrons Arts Center
Exhibition on view June 5 - July 20, 2007
466 Grand Street New York NY 10002
212 -598-0400, www.henrystreet.org/arts
Opening Reception Thursday June 14th, 6-8 pm

Curated by Martin Dust of Abrons Arts Center's Visual Arts department, INTERSECTIONS presents contemporary art that converges on points of connection between seven alumni of the Arts Center's Artist-in-Residence Workspace Program and artists they have chosen. The exhibition sets the stage to reveal convergences in artistic ideals, methodologies and interests despite each artist's strong individualism.

Artists: Mary Elise Bolan, Rosemarie Fiore, Chitra Ganesh, Heather Hart, Ryan Hixenbaugh, Marcia Johnson, Simone Leigh, Sean Lewis, Elisa Matula, Rachel Meuler, Sa'dia Rehman, Koji Shimizu, Rosa Valado, Jennifer Viola, Roberto Visani and Heeseop Yoon

release party: Agent 409 Zine

Bluestockings
172 Allen Street between Stanton and Rivington (212.777.6028)
Friday, June 15th @ 7PM - $5 to $10 Suggested, no one turned away

It's time again for the writers at Agent 409 to scour racism, wipe away
gritty capitalism and patriarchy, and deeply penetrate hard-to-reach
transphobic corners of our world. An unruly bunch of multi-racial
queers and trannies, we are anti-everything oppressive and wrong, and
pro-everything liberating and good. We are celebrating survival,
resistance, culture, and pleasure. Come hear us read from the newest
"Agent 409 Zine", and help us to raise money to go to the U.S. Social
Forum. Agent 409 is Ronica Sanyal, Daniel Rose, Jane Koh, Tamiko Beyer,
cory schmanke parrish, Alea Woodlee, Judy Yu and Danielle Feris.

Youth Pride Chorus!

Feminist Art Base

As well as presenting interesting shows and public programs, the Brooklyn Museum's new Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art has created perhaps the first Feminist Art Base. In their words "This ever-growing database offers profiles from the most prolific contributors to feminist art from the 1960s to the present. Each profile includes multiple images, video and audio clips, short biographies, CVs, and 'Feminist Artist Statements.' "
It promises to be a great resource for scholars, curators and the curious alike, so check it out!

Our latest news

View the full graphic version here.

June 2007

Dear friends,

riffRAG has been quiet lately, but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy. Our SECOND ISSUE of the magazine was a smash, featuring an opening extravaganza with readings and performances at Bluestockings Books. Be sure to check out the issue if you haven't already.

riffRAG has a new BLOG, updated daily with events, news, and articles related to art and politics with a queer, feminist, and anti-racist focus. Be sure to add it to your RSS reader or bookmarks to keep in the loop.

riffRAG has two exciting EVENTS coming up this summer. On Thursday, June 21 at 7pm, riffRAG starts off Pride celebrations by presenting an evening of FREE sexy queer films. Get frisky with Todd Verow, porn collective 3MIH, Lucas Michael, Erica Chough, Luke Woodward, and many others. This event will be held at Bluestockings Books, 172 Allen Street, between Stanton and Rivington, New York City (F train to 2nd Ave, exit at the 1st Ave).

On Saturday July 21, at 2pm riffRAG teams up with the Brooklyn Museum's new Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art to present a panel examining the future of feminist art. Join artists Sheila Pepe, Jaishri Abichandani, Erica Chough and Em Sixteen as they reflect critically on what's to come after the recent opening of many feminist exhibitions (moderated by editors Felix and LO). The event is FREE with Museum admission and will be held at the Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn NY (2/3 Train to Brooklyn Museum).

We are currently accepting submissions on a rolling basis. Check out our WEBSITE for more info. Please keep in touch and spread the word about riffRAG.

xoxo, riffRAG

BRO CRUSH at NewFest this weekend

My new short film, BRO CRUSH, is screening on Saturday June 9th, 3:30pm, at NewFest. The program is called GENDER REDESIGNER. See more details below:

Gender Redesigner

USA, 2006, 74 min, Video
World Premiere

Directed By: Johnny Bergmann

While traveling the US to document LGBT lives for a film project, lesbian Fae’s encounters with transgender people make her realizes she is actually a he. Gender Redesigner follows Fae as he transitions while living at home in conservative rural Pennsylvania. Raising funds for top surgery through drag shows, dealing with family members, and relocating to start a new life, Fae emerges as a loveable guide during his gender redesign.

Preceded By:
Bro Crush
Directed By: Felix Endara
A rite of passage for FTMs that also doubles as a loving gesture: learning how to tie a tie.

F Scott Fitzgerald Slept Here
Directed By: Jules Rosskam
The intimacies between men and the struggles friendships endure.

Kaden
Directed By: Harriet Storm
A trans guy prepares for chest reconstructive surgery.

Artomat LIC

Art-O-Mat - LIC is the latest incarnation of a long collaborative process of artistic endeavors with elements of community outreach and involvement. The current project at 46-46 Vernon Boulevard has three components: a storefront showing artisan made objects and items geared towards holiday sales, an intimate gallery featuring local and national artists with little New York exposure, and the “Kitchen” workshop, classroom and event space.

Our friend Laura Terruso, director of Castrato Di Matteo's Audition, a queer take on an Italian family seen through the audition tape of young Castrato Di Matteo, aspiring opera star, was interviewed in the NewFest Blog. Check our her interview and if you are in NYC, see her short film Sunday, June 3 & Sunday, June 10 in shorts program: Women on the Verge.