John Lee Bird marks ten years of before encore project with exhibition of 36 new portraits documenting London’s mercurial creative counter-culture at 20th Century Theatre
before encore is an ongoing portraiture project in which seminal London artist John Lee Bird documents the influential performers, muses, designers, musicians, poets and artists who exist within the creative spaces between marginal and mainstream popular culture.
2016 sees before encore enter its tenth year and 14th-15th June sees a two day exhibition at London’s 20th Century Theatre of the latest 36 portraits representing a diverse subculture of London’s performance/club/queer/music DIY art scenes.
The exhibition will be a riotous celebration of not only John Lee Bird’s work but also his subjects, with countless musicians & performers from the latest portraits taking the stage, as well as a number of surprise guests from previous phases of Before Encore.
The exhibition, which is free and unticketed, runs from 6pm-11pm on Tuesday 14th June & from 12pm-11pm on Wednesday 15th with live performances from 7pm on both nights. Musicians & artists confirmed to perform include Madam, Mikkokoo, The Black Site, Catmilk, Chicken, Sam Amant, Bete Noire, Campbell L Sangster, Thom Shaw, Dale Cornish, Marisa Carnesky, The Budda Cakes, Mr Teds, Timberlina & Oozing Gloop as well as a number of surprise guest appearances.
