Aurora Metro arts & media charity is launching a new touring exhibition for Pride Month, 50 LGBTQI+ Who Changed the World, which will show from 18-30 June at Strawberry Hill House, Twickenham and then tour for several months around various arts spaces in and around London.
A book with the same title is being published by sister company Aurora Metro Books to accompany the exhibition. The book includes an overview of LGBTQ+ history from academic, playwright and comedian Clare Summerskill.
50 LGBTQI+ Who Changed the World pays tribute in 50 portraits to the activists, personalities, writersand artists who have advanced the LGBTQ+ movement and celebrates those who have fought tocreate a more inclusive and tolerant world.
The project showcases the work of Florent Manelli, a French LGBTQ+ artist who launched the exhibition tour and book in France. “It is very important for a community to have role models…thefight for equal rights has only just begun.” – the LGBT centre of Touraine. Explaining why he started this project, Manelli explained: “It’s not just about individual stories…it’s about how we can respect everyone in this society.”
The UK project includes notable British figures, including: Olly Alexander, Mark Ashton, Michael Cashman,Peter Tatchell, Alan Turing, and Phyllis Akua Opoku-Gyimah (Lady Phyl).