Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures + Save Curzon Soho Panel Discussion

Inspired by the life and work of maverick and controversial New York photographer Robert Mapplethorpe (1946–89) and as part of the campaign Save Curzon Soho, indie cinema group Curzon present a special film screening of MAPPLETHORPE: LOOK AT THE PICTURES (US/Germany, 108 mins). Co-directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the documentary is the first definitive, feature-length portrait of the artist since his death from AIDS-related illnesses in 1989. The screening is followed by a panel discussion on the impact of recent urban developments on Soho’s LGBT community. As with Curzon Soho, a number of iconic LGBT social and entertainment venues are either under threat of demolition, or have recently been closed in the name of urban development. In its overview of 1970s New York's gay scene, the Mapplethorpe documentary shows the importance of such spaces in generating and preserving a thriving LGBT cultural context in which sexuality and creativity can be expressed freely – and safely. The panel will respond to the ideas and themes of the film, as we fight to save Soho’s rich and diverse cultures, as well as a significant chunk of the social and political history of London. Panel members: - Gavin Butt - Professor of Visual Cultures and Performance at Goldsmiths, University of London - Ben Walters - Journalist, researcher and campaigner who wrote the application that made the Royal Vauxhall Tavern the UK’s first LGBTQ-listed building - Representatives from Positively UK and Stonewall Please note this film is rated 18 ("strong sexualised images, sex references, nudity" - BBFC) This event is part of Curzon Soho's documentary screening series, #DocDays