Project Overview
The Let’s Talk About Chemsex project, led by artist Harold Offeh and commissioned by Portraits of Recovery, is an ambitious year-long exploration into the intersections of sex, intimacy, and consent within queer communities. Drawing inspiration from Salt-N-Pepa’s groundbreaking singles “Let’s Talk About Sex” and “Let’s Talk About AIDS,” the project unpacks the often-silent experiences surrounding chemsex. Through workshops, performances, music, and discussion, Let’s Talk About Chemsex aims to destigmatise topics traditionally surrounded by guilt, shame, or prejudice.
2023: A Manchester Pride Launch with Cheddar Gorgeous.
Let’s Talk About Chemsex debuted at the Manchester Pride Festival in August 2023, engaging a large and diverse audience in an interactive radio show installation. Set within a 90s-themed pop-up radio studio, the installation drew from Salt-N-Pepa’s iconic singles. The radio setup allowed festival-goers to participate directly, sharing personal stories and reflections through recorded messages. These audio contributions would go on to shape the year-long project, fostering a supportive, non-judgmental dialogue around these often-stigmatized topics. The relaxed, nostalgic environment of the installation allowed visitors to confront complex subjects with a sense of openness and curiosity.
As part of the 2023 Pride launch, Portraits of Recovery hosted a powerful panel discussion featuring drag performer and activist Cheddar Gorgeous. The conversation took place in an intimate setting, where Cheddar Gorgeous shared insights on queer culture, sex positivity, and the critical importance of consent. The talk touched on personal experiences, the influence of mainstream media on queer narratives, and the urgent need to address the stigmas surrounding chemsex in LGBTQ+ spaces. This discussion highlighted the importance of safe spaces within queer communities to explore the spectrum of intimacy and support, and it underscored the unique vulnerability and strength that queer individuals bring to these conversations.
March-May 2024: Workshop Series
A year after its Pride launch, Let’s Talk About Chemsex progressed into a series of intimate workshops from March to May 2024, hosted at Manchester Art Gallery. Artist Harold Offeh and his collaborators invited participants to explore themes of queer intimacy and consent in a safe, inclusive environment. These sessions encouraged participants to express their experiences through writing, drawing, and performance, culminating in the co-creation of two music tracks. Over the months, attendees developed soundscapes that spoke authentically to the nuances of chemsex, with production support from Brighter Sound and The Niallist, also known as Niall O’Conghaile.
September 2024: Let’s Talk About Chemsex Listening Party
Date: September 2024
Location: Manchester Art Gallery
The public release of the project’s two co-created singles, Anticipation = Anxiety and A Warm Hug, was celebrated with a Listening Party at Manchester Art Gallery. Attendees were invited to lounge on cushions and bean bags, immersing themselves in the music. The event fostered a relaxed, communal experience as listeners connected with the tracks’ narratives on desire and intimacy.
Anticipation = Anxiety delivers an electro-synth beat infused with desire and longing, echoing the collective voices of participants as they navigate themes of acceptance and fear. A Warm Hug offers a mellow, reflective soundscape, inviting listeners to explore their own unspoken desires and vulnerabilities.
The event featured a discussion panel with contributors Bradley, Cheddar Gorgeous, Niall O’Conghaile, and Professor Rob Ralphs. Panelists shared insights on music production, community-driven storytelling, and broader issues related to intimacy and respect within queer communities.
September 29, 2024: Let’s Talk About Chemsex Presents – A Queer Gallery Takeover
Location: Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester
Time: 12:00 pm – 4:45 pm
To conclude Recoverist Month 2024, the project hosted a Queer Gallery Takeover at Manchester Art Gallery, a day-long celebration featuring live performances, discussions, and art installations by local and international LGBTQ+ artists. The Takeover amplified queer voices and perspectives on intimacy and consent, showcasing pieces by Valentin Ranger, Ghetto Fabulous, mandla, Daniel Rey, and Sam Cottington.
Highlights of the day included:
- Valentin Ranger’s Films: Going to the Meta-hospital and Chem’s Back Trauma, both offering transformative and dreamlike explorations of queerness and healing.
- Sam Cottington’s “On”: A one-act play featuring a haunting monologue from a ghostly character, invoking themes of unrequited love.
- Daniel Rey’s “Collective Cuddles”: A live performance exploring queer intimacy, featuring five Latinx men engaging in tender, non-romantic contact.
- mandla’s “To the Slaughter”: A choreopoem blending spoken word, dance, and music to portray the painful intimacies of love and longing.
- Harold Offeh and Ghetto Fabulous: Debuting the Anticipation <—> Anxiety and A Warm Hug EP, with freestyle dance performances responding to the emotional landscape of the tracks.
A Recoverist Month event that, through the arts changes the conversation on substance use and recovery.
Recoverist = Recovery + Activist
Recoverist Month September 2024 is an initiative led by Portraits of Recovery: a pioneering Manchester-based, visual arts charity.
