BORN::FREE presents: Many Kinds of Power – Theodorah Ndlovu exhibition launch

"When we begin to live from within outward, in touch with the power of the erotic within ourselves and allowing that power to inform and illuminate our actions upon the world around us, then we can begin to be responsible to ourselves in the deepest sense… 

"Our acts against oppression become integral with self, motivated and empowered from within" – Audre Lorde 

Kicking off our Spring Weekender, BORN::FREE's Resident Photographer Theodora Ndlovu showcases her solo interactive exhibition at Theatre Peckham, Many Kinds of Power. 

The durational photography series depicts Queer, non-binary, trans, drag, gender-fluid and gender non-conforming peoples. It serves to highlight the undeniable existence of the LGBTQIA+ community and calls for the acceptance and normalisation of the different forms of sexuality and presentation within our society. 

As the series continues, Theo aims to investigate and dissect some of the discrimination and hate that exists within the LGBTQIA+ community. Through her captivating photography, Theo highlights the struggle and internal conflict that comes with being courageous enough to admit that there are marginalised people within an already marginalised community. She writes: "A significant number of queer, non-binary, trans, gender non-confirming and drag people are left out of the conversation and it is crucial that we observe these patterns so we can rescue the way we imagine and depict queerness outside of capitalism."

Join Theodorah and friends and catch your blessings on Friday 13th for a night music, discussion, poetry and empowerment from 7pm at Theatre Peckham. 

live performances by:

Rebekah Reid

Rebekah Reid is a vibrant and versatile violinist and loop pedal artist of African and Jamaican descent. Rebekah specialises in classical and jazz repertoire as well improvisation and composition. Reid experiments with loopers and effects pedals, drawing inspiration from artists such as Bach and Paganini, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus and ErykahBadu. Combining electronics with traditional classical string techniques, Reid crafts unique sound worlds with her violin creating a tonal narrative that captures the listeners’ imagination. Rebekah has performed her solo live loop pedal set across the UK, with concerts at the Portico Library in Manchester supporting MatanaRoberts and Kelly Jayne Jones, Manchester Art Gallery for Sofar Sounds, and the Royal Albert Hall – the Elgar Room, in March 2019 supporting Roxanne Tattei. Rebekah also leads and manages TÄPP, a dynamic loop pedal music collective featuring collaborations with musicians from London and Manchester. TÄPP have featured on Worldwide FM, BBC Introducing and were Jazz North Artists 2018-2019. Rebekah plays a Johann Karl Klotz violin from 1786, Germany, kindly on loan from the Harrison-Frank Family Foundation.

Remi-lyn Alexander

Remi Lyn Alexander is a writer that has a love of philosophy and places in at the heart of all her work. She works in short story, poem and the novel currently.  She performed at the fringe festival in 2015 and has written a poetry collection 'these are the most terrifying thoughts' (2017). She works in social housing and cares very much about placemaking as a way to cool the pain of regeneration. She is currently working on her first novel and a new collection of poetry. 

WasteWomxn

Creating punk fusions fueled by their Yoruba and Japanese cultures, ATK are a queer diasporic band comprised consisting of absolute wastewomxn - Adedamola Bajomo, Tobi Adebajo and Kyoko Takenaka.

DJ set by:

Black Obsidian Sound Systems

Black Obsidian Sound System was established in the summer of 2018 with the intention of bringing together a community of queer, trans and non binary people of colour involved in art, sound and radical activism. Following in the legacies of sound system culture we wanted to learn, build and sustain a resource for our collective struggles. The system, based in London, will be available to use or rent by community groups and others with the purpose of amplifying and connecting us. 

Pay What You Can online or on the door; please get in touch with BORN::FREE if ticket prices are an issue. 

Theodorah Ndlovu is a photographer born in Mpumalanga, South Africa and currently lives in London, UK. Her work explores portraiture, landscape, fashion and live music events. She seeks for her work to challenge ideas around race, gender and sexuality in order to break the barriers around what is possible for people of colour – especially in the LGBTQI+ community to achieve. 

When capturing subjects Theodorah’s aesthetic aims are to interpret the beauty, love or pain she sees in them. Music serves as a portal of discovery of her feelings, how she expresses those feelings and how she learns from them- live music photography forces her to face all this and express it through the photographs she captures. She has worked in South Africa, Zimbabwe and the U.K. and is currently the Resident Photographer for the literary arts organisation BORN::FREE. She has previously worked with Artists and collectives such as Steam Down, Thandiswa Mazwai, Jojo Abot, and Maxhosa by Laduma. 

Her work has been published in Nataal, Girls Like Us Magazine, Kingsplace and elsewhere. She is currently working on her portfolio and has exhibited in July as part of FETARI curated by Kengy McNicols and recently debuted a successful solo exhibition in January 2020 in collaboration with margot mool as part of their Music launch.

Many Kinds of Power features at Theatre Peckham between 13 March-13 May 2020.