Thank you to all who have come out to see our latest exhibition NEED ME, or, (de)mystifying the myth of the modern primitive, the first public exhibition to explore the queer history of body piercing. Up through June 27, there’s still plenty of time to come see the exhibition. Check out some of the amazing upcoming events we’re offering!

What’s next?

Curator-led Tour THIS TUESDAY, April 14, 12 pm

Join NEED ME curator Quetzal Arévalo on the first public tour of the exhibition. Spanning everything from the early network of body modifiers throughout the United States and Europe, the founding of the first-ever body piercing specific business and magazine, to the artists who made work inspired by the body piercing renaissance, this walkthrough guides viewers through the history, research, and making of NEED ME. 

The same day, follow up this curator-led tour with a powerhouse panel on punk featuring Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill and filmmaker Bruce LaBruce (details below).

Virtual Studio Visit with Noorann Matties, Thursday, April 23, 4 pm PST

Join ONE Archives artist-in-residence Noorann Matties on a studio tour from her home-studio in Philadelphia. Matties will discuss her research and process working on her new body of work featured in NEED ME, or, (de)mystifying the myth of the modern primitive, and share her current projects. There will be ample time for audience participation discussing interdisciplinary practice involving memory, craft, abstraction, and self-imagery.  This program will take place over Zoom, hit the link below to RSVP.

Efrain John Gonzalez, Saturday, May 2 at 4 pm

Join us at the archive for an artist talk with Efrain John Gonzalez, who will be sharing his decades-long practice of documenting the body piercing community and other escapades from the SM scene in New York City and beyond. A lecture by Gonzalez will be followed by a generous Q & A. 

Efrain John Gonzalez (b. 1952) is a photographer who has documented the unusual, the erotic, the unique, the wild and slightly crazy, from the world of body modifications to the underground universe of radical S&M, from sensual beauty of the flesh, to raw sexual desires. Based in Park-Slope, Brooklyn, he is an internationally published photographer who has been traveling down dark and mysterious paths for the past 40 years. Through his mostly film-based practice of black and white and Kodachrome photography, he has amassed a rare historical archive of original work, candid photographs of underground clubs, transgender people, tattoo and body modification events, Queer history, cities at night, political gatherings, and leather and fetish cultures. 

Stay tuned for details about our other upcoming programs!

In other news…

Don’t miss Punk for the People: Volume 2 at Bovard Auditorium this Tuesday, April 14 at 7 pm! Bringing together legendary artists Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre), Bruce LaBruce (filmmaker, queercore icon), Martin Sorrondeguy (Los Crudos, Limp Wrist), James Spooner (author, co-founder of Afro Punk festival), and Candace Hansen (moderator, LA Times, Alice Bag Band) will come together to explore punk’s most influential movements—Riot Grrrl, queercore, Latino hardcore, and Afropunk. The event will also include DJ sets by Allison Wolfe (Bratmobile), Eloise Wong (The Linda Lindas), and Martin Wong (Giant Robot, Razorcake).