Eulogy for the dyke bar
Eulogy For The Dyke Bar revisits the legacy and physical spaces of dyke and lesbian bars, an increasingly rare component of the gay and queer cultural landscape. Made of simple materials that unapologetically reveal the hand in their making, the installation offers a full bar, pool table, neon signs and hand-painted '70s-era wood paneling.
As as interactive, community-centered space, Eulogy For The Dyke Bar acknowledges the mass closing of dyke bars, asking a host of questions: Why are these spaces closing? How do cultural and socio-economic factors, such as assimilation or gentrification, contribute to this phenomenon? Are the same factors impacting spaces for gay men? What role have physical spaces such as dyke bars played in the past and how has that changed over time? How do we learn from these spaces and move forward in creating new ones that are safe and affirming for all female and feminine- spectrum communities while embracing expansive notions of gender and sexuality across generations?
The installation is activated through its use as a fully-functional bar and programming within the space. Dyke bartenders served drinks in collaboration with New York-based Queer Memoir for a night of story-telling and performance from across spectrums of age, gender, race, and sexuality. Reflecting nuanced experiences in and around dyke bars, performances both celebratory and lovingly critical acknowledge these spaces that may soon exist only in our shared stories. Please see the link below for more information about Eulogy For The Dyke Bar Programs.
*Eulogy For The Dyke Bar uses the reclaimed term "dyke" in its most expansive sense and recognizes that gender and identities are complex and fluid. If you have identified with the term or an experience of feminine-spectrum queerness in the past or present (or perhaps future), and/or feel an affiliation or ally-ship with dyke culture, you are welcome, and valued at the dyke bar.
