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Event date 30 May 2023 -
Event location London
What’s on in London
This May, Christie’s Lates returns in celebration of love, equality and diversity with an evening dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community in the run-up to Pride month in London.
Join us after hours to immerse yourself in stimulating exhibitions, including a display of works by emerging LGBTQIA+ artists curated by SOTA, and an exhibition by Queer Britain featuring lots from our upcoming sales. Participate in a Vogue Rites Ball as members of the voguing community grace the runway, and engage with thought-provoking panel discussions exploring topics ranging from Shakespeare through to the homoerotic art market.
Explore the event
Event photography: smdphotography
Explore the programme
Talks and tours
6:30pm | Great Room
Jake Elwes presents Deepfake Drag and a Queering of Artificial Intelligence
Jake Elwes (media artist) shares insight into their recent work, The Zizi Project, exposing AI bias by queering datasets with drag performers, simultaneously demystifying and subverting AI systems
6:30pm & 8pm | St. James’s Galleries
Curator-led tour | Queer Britain x Christie’s
Dawn Hoskin and Marta Lomza of Queer Britain offer curator-led tours of their exhibition celebrating and uplifting Queer artists and their work, featuring pieces from upcoming Christie’s auctions
7pm | West Room
Panel discussion | From Shakespeare to Modern Day: Recognition of Sexuality in the Artistic Sectors
Join Christie’s Education Director, Glen Hardwick-Bruce, in conversation with Dr Will Tosh (head of research at Shakespeare’s Globe), Dr Thomas Hughes (History of Art lecturer at The Courtauld Institute of Art) and actors from Shakespeare’s Globe
7:15pm | Great Room
Panel discussion | 16th Century Life Expectancy: An Insight into the Misinformation That Plagues the Black Trans Community
Join Octavian Starr (trustee at GIRES), Shivani Dave (award-winning radio host), Chloe Filani (artist, poet and performer), Quinnely Rose (trans youth, performing artist), Jacob Chace (trustee and treasurer at LGBT+ Consortium) and Dr Kamilla Kamaruddin (award-winning GP) for an engaging conversation
8pm | West Room
Panel discussion | Navigating Labels as a Creator
Join Victoria Cantons (multi-disciplinary artist and curator) in conversation with Ajay Pabial (award-winning artist and social entrepreneur) and James Cahill (author, art critic and academic)
8:30pm | Great Room
Panel discussion | The Emergence of Dedicated Queer Markets
Join Alistair O’Neill (professor of Fashion History and Theory, Central Saint Martins and curator of A Hard Man is Good to Find) in conversation with Anna Sampson (photographic artist), Neal Treadwell and Hugh Nini (authors of Loving: A Photographic History of Men in Love 1850s – 1950s), and Henry Miller (founder of Henry Miller Fine Art)
Exhibitions — Throughout the evening
16th Century Life Expectancy by UK Black Pride | King Street Annex
Uncover the historical biases and injustices faced by the trans community in an exhibition that gives voice to five remarkable trans people of colour in the UK—Amani Coso, Rico Chace, Talulah Eve, Ebun Sodipo, and Mzz Kimberley
Madonna x Meisel – The SEX Photographs | King Street Gallery
Explore the provocative and timeless creativity of Madonna and Steven Meisel as we showcase unique editions of one from the iconic 1992 photography book SEX, to be offered in our upcoming New York auction
SOTA x Christie’s | Ante Room
In collaboration with Christie’s, SOTA presents a specially curated exhibition of emerging LGBTQIA+ artists whose works embody the celebration of Pride
Drag costumes by Poppy Du Boulay | New Gallery
Discover Poppy Du Boulay’s fabulous drag costumes, including works created for RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 4, featuring celebrated drag artist Fizz Sinclair
Workshops and other entertainment — Throughout the evening
Vogue Rites x Christie’s Lates Pride Mini-Ball | Lower Ryder Street Gallery
Join us as members of the London Ballroom community walk the runway, in a catwalk spectacular, competing in categories across fashion, beauty, realness and performance for prizes
‘Art of Hosting’ cocktail masterclass with London Essence | Duke Street Gallery Annex
Discover the ‘Art of Hosting’ cocktail masterclass brought to you by London Essence in partnership with Brugal Rum.
*Please note that this event has limited spaces and registration is required on the night.
Hatchards bookstore pop-up | Gallery Viewing Room
Visit the Hatchards pop-up as they celebrate pride with a book selection embracing both past and present favourites
Boo.kay ldn | St. James’s Galleries
Experience the art of floristry with boo·kay ldn, featuring progress flag-inspired flowers, historical insights, and the opportunity to purchase hand-tied arrangements for your home
Painting sculpture with Charlotte Brunhes | Ante Room
Witness the artistic mastery of drawing professor Charlotte Brunhes as she captivates and enlightens through a live demonstration of painting sculpture
Pride-themed photobooth | St. James’s Galleries
Strike a pose in front of a pride theme backdrop designed by SOTA artist, Caitlyn Flood-Molyneux
London Essence Cocktail Pay Bar | East Room
Christie’s Pay Bar | Duke Street Gallery
Lovetime Guarantee DJ | Balcony
Experience a musical journey with Lovetime Guarantee, a London-based reissue record label and DJ collective dedicated to soul music
To browse the previous editions, visit Christie’s Lates or explore on social media using the hashtag #christieslates
All attendees are required to register online, or alternatively at the door upon entry to consent to be photographed and filmed during the event. There will be one queue for all and registering does not guarantee priority entry. As soon as we hit capacity, you will be admitted on a one-in, one-out basis. We expect a high volume of guests and a queue is likely to form.
Meet the Participants
16th Century Life Expectancy
For years, it has been reported that Black trans women have a life expectancy of 35 years. However, there is a deeper and more complex story behind this statistic than what initially meets the eye. 16th Century Life Expectancy is an exhibition that explores the origins of this statistic and seeks to raise awareness about the dangers of misinformation surrounding the Black trans community.
Ajay Pabial
Ajay is the founder of award-winning non-profit arts organisation Art Clubbers CIC, delivering programmes across London to shine a limelight on individuals from BAME and LGBT+ intersections and the unique talent they bring to the creative sector. In 2020, Ajay was featured by Pride In London as one of their 52 dynamic and thought-provoking LGBT+ visual artists.
Anna Sampson
Anna Sampson is a self-taught photographic artist specialising in film and Polaroid. A graduate of Fine Art from Chelsea College of Arts (2015), and UCL (2021), her work has been showcased at renowned galleries worldwide. Fascinated by the body as a site of power struggles, her work explores eroticism, negation, and resistance through performance and representation. Anna’s work has featured in acclaimed cult publications such as Dazed, i-D, Another, Purple Fashion and The Face. Find her full archive at the UK Leather & Fetish Archive at Bishopsgate Institute.
Boo.kay Ldn
Boo·kay ldn is a unique floral business based in London’s West End, combining theatrical inspiration and floral artistry. Founded by former NYC Ballet principal dancer and Tony- nominated actor, Robbie Fairchild, their vision transcends traditional floral design by incorporating the creativity, passion, and emotion found on stage. At Boo.kay, every floral arrangement tells a unique story and contributes to the message of togetherness.
Caitlin Flood-Molyneux
Caitlin Flood-Molyneux (She/They) is a contemporary Welsh artist based in South Wales who has exhibited internationally in London, New York, Japan, Venice and Norway. Flood-Molyneux’s artistic practice investigates the relationship between pop culture imagery and the way in which we attach emotion and memory to images and uses this to narrate their subjective experiences of hardship. Inspired by the visual styles of Dada and early pop art, the combination of found imagery alongside abstract painterly forms allows them to develop their own visual language.
Charlotte Brunhes
Charlotte studied at the Penninghen School of Graphic Arts in Paris (formerly Académie Julian), where she is currently a drawing professor. Inspired by her aunt, the sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle, she embarked on in-depth studies of figurative sculpture at the Florence Academy of Arts. She enjoys breaking down preconceptions of genres by applying herself to the aesthetic and realistic representation of all forms of beauty.
Chloe AyoDeji Filani
Chloe AyoDeji Filani (She/Her) is a multi-talented artist in poetry and performance, an advocate of Black Feminism, a public speaker, and a workshop facilitator. Through her art and poetry, she weaves together her personal journey as a black trans woman with broader explorations of identity, power structures, and the transformative power of imagination and storytelling. Chloe has performed at Late at Tate Britain and Somerset House, and she has also spoken at events organised by the UAL feminist society and Women of the World festival with BLM. Furthermore, she has held poetry workshops for Blackgirl Fest, Camden Arts, and more.
Dawn Hoskin
Dawn Hoskin (She/Her) is Head of Collections/Curator at Queer Britain, a Cultural Heritage Curator with the National Trust (working across the Midlands and East of England), and Curatorial Lead for the NT’s LGBTQ+ Steering Group. She curated We Are Queer Britain! (July 2022 – April 2023), Queer Britain’s first exhibition.
Lovetime Guarantee
Lovetime Guarantee is a London-based reissue record label and DJ collective born out of a passion for soul music in all its forms. Deep diggers and lovers of everything from soul, funk, disco, house, afro, and reggae, expect a DJ set that will take you on a journey of musical exploration.
Eloise Pennycott
Eloise Pennycott (She/Her) is a deaf-queer actor and theatre maker who recently played Imogen in Cymbeline as part of Shakespeare's Globe's inaugural Young Company. Other theatre credits include Lord of the Flies (Leeds Playhouse and Belgrade Theatre Coventry) and Romeo and Juliet (Derby Theatre R&D). Credits as a writer include Barrier(s) (National Theatre) and Babel (HighTide Theatre).
Fizz Sinclair
Fizz Sinclair is a multi-talented artist, active in the fields of acting, singing, modelling, drag performance, comedy writing, and digital content creation. Fizz is currently part of the UK Tour of Modest. Noteworthy stage credits include Mulan Rouge and Witches of Oz at The Vaults Theatre, Carmen at The Union Theatre, and Newsrevue: The Brexorcist, featured on BBC One, BBC Radio 5, Underbelly Edinburgh Fringe, and the Arts Theatre in the West End. On-screen, Fizz has appeared in the feature film Crash Course, as well as commercials for Ben's Original Rice and Serkova Vodka.
Freya Sharp
Freya Sharp (She/Her) is a London-based artist who makes portraits and abstract works on paper and fabrics. She uses materials such as oil pastel and charcoal, chosen for their textures, malleability, and instant strength of colour. Freya’s portraiture expresses a tension between vulnerability and strength, which is always made from life, with the sitter or a mirror. The portrayal of women and femaleness, including feminine sexuality is a perpetual theme in her work, as well as an exploration of lesbian and queer identities.
Gavin Dobson
Gavin Dobson (He/Him) is a London-based painter whose artistic practice has shifted into exploring homosexuality and the various subcultures which surround it. Gavin focuses on the expectations and stereotypes which gay men face and how this can affect one's mental health. His paintings are often loose and expressive, tackling the emotional highs and lows of being a gay man in contemporary life.
Hatchards
Hatchards is London’s oldest bookshop, having been established in 1797 by John Hatchard. Hatchards has been a landmark on one of the finest and most famous streets in the world, Piccadilly, occupying the current building, number 187.
Henry Miller
Henry Miller Fine Art, located in Walthamstow, East London, is a gallery set within Henry's period home. This unique setting allows prospective buyers to envision how the artworks would look in a domestic environment. The collection focuses on the male form and spans many centuries and types of media, including paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture and photography from the 16th century to the present day.
Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell
Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell, a married couple of 31 years, are the co-authors of the bestselling book LOVING: A Photographic History of Men in Love, 1850s - 1950s. Published in 2020 and translated into five languages, LOVING presents a captivating collection of vintage photographs depicting romantic male couples. Some of these photos date back as far as 170 years, making LOVING a rare historical document that captures the essence of loving relationships between men.
Jake Elwes
Jake Elwes (They/He) is a British media artist who explores machine learning and artificial intelligence. In their recent work, The Zizi Project, Elwes exposes AI bias by queering datasets with drag performers, simultaneously demystifying and subverting AI systems. Explore their work at their upcoming solo exhibition at Gazelli Art House, Mayfair (1 June – 8 July), and a new multi-channel video commission for the Photography Centre at the Victoria and Albert Museum (May 25, 2023 – April 2024).
Jamie Luke Scoular
Jamie Luke Scoular (He/Him) is a London-based photographer who represents and explores queerness within his work. For Scoular, it’s not only important to look at his own queerness, but the intersectionality of queerness and what that looks like across the entire world.
James Cahill
James Cahill is a writer and academic based in London. His debut novel, Tiepolo Blue, was published in 2022 by Sceptre, and was recently shortlisted for the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award. His second novel, The Violet Hour, is due in 2024. His writing has appeared in publications including The Los Angeles Review of Books, The London Review of Books and The Times Literary Supplement.
Dr Kamilla Kamaruddin
Dr Kamilla Kamaruddin (She/Her) is a GP in transgender health care and clinical lead at East of England Gender Service, passionate about improving health care for trans people. She has spoken at various educational events in the UK, Europe, and Canada. She has also written various articles about health care for trans people which is published in mainstream and medical journals. Recognised for her exceptional contributions, she received the RCGP Inspire Award in 2019 and the Pink News Frontline Hero Award in 2020.
Kevin Bennett
Kevin is a Canadian director based in London, who boasts an impressive track record. His past work includes serving as an associate director at Shakespeare’s Globe for The Merchant of Venice and directing Alan Bennett’s The Madness of George III at Canada’s Shaw Festival—recognised by The Wall Street Journal as one of the ‘Top Ten Best Theatre of 2017’. Additionally, Kevin directed a remarkable rendition of Romeo and Juliet at China’s Central Academy of Drama in Beijing.
London Essence
The London Essence Company crafts luxurious drinks from the purest flavours—selecting the finest botanicals and gently distilling them to capture their true essence. Each of the tonics, gingers, and sodas are low in calories, containing no artificial sweeteners, and delivering carefully calibrated taste profiles to accentuate premium spirits or create an exquisite standalone drinking experience.
Louise Hapton
Louise Hapton (She/Her) is a French artist based in London who places queerness at the center of her art. As a QPOC bisexual, polyamorous and demisexual artist, her sexuality is at the forefront of her work. Hapton’s relationship to her queerness has not always been peaceful, but she now embraces and explores it through her art. Her work has been exhibited across Europe.
Marta Lomza
Marta Lomza (She/Her) joined the Queer Britain team as Head of Collections/Curator in November 2022. Having previously worked in various heritage institutions across London and Oxford, she has experience in both overseeing museum and archival collections, and curating exhibitions and public engagement programmes, particularly through community co-curation. At Queer Britain, she leads on collections management.
Michael Brown
Michael Brown trained at LAMDA. Theatre credits for Shakespeare’s Globe include playing Viola in Twelfth Night, Queen Isabel in Richard II, Spencer Jnr in Edward II, Mariana in Measure for Measure, ensemble in The Golden Ass and We the People. Michael has been a practitioner with Shakespeare’s Globe Higher Education for the last five years.
Octavian Starr
Octavian Starr (He/Him) is passionate about encouraging and supporting diversity and opportunities for trans and non-binary people across all sectors. His advocacy work extends beyond his profession, as he actively engages with community organisations, mentors community members, and participates in events that elevate marginalised voices. Octavian envisions a world where trans people are supported to have the best opportunities and the confidence to rise up to meet them.
Poppy Du Boulay
Poppy graduated in 2020 with a degree in Performance Costume from The University of Edinburgh. Since moving to London, she has been working as a costume trainee in film and television, including Amazon’s My Lady Jane, and currently Universal Pictures’ Wicked. She also loves working with drag artists, recently producing costumes for Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK. Poppy hopes to continue her work in drag alongside pursuing a film career.
Quinnely Rose
Quinnely Rose (She/He/They) is a deaf, genderqueer person of Iranian heritage, who despite their young age, is an outspoken trans activist and a performing artist that employs non-verbal communication to foster awareness of their life experiences. They speak openly about the intersections of being both Iranian and trans, and what it’s like to navigate the UK as a trans youngster.
Queer Britain
Queer Britain is the charity that opened the UK’s first bricks and mortar national LGBTQ+ museum on 4 May 2022. It is an essential place for all—regardless of sexuality or gender identity—to find out about the culture they have been born into, have chosen or seek to understand. They are based in a historic building at 2 Granary Square, in London’s King’s Cross. They won the Museum Association’s Best Small Museum of the Year Award with their inaugural exhibition We Are Queer Britain.
Rico Jacob Chace
Rico Jacob Chace (He/Him) is a vocal activist, entrepreneur, and advocate for LGBTQIA+ and Black communities. As a director at TransActual UK, he worked to change UK legislation for trans and non-binary equality, while as Trustee and Treasurer of the LGBT+ Consortium, he advocates for their rights, and helps charities secure funding. Rico is a participant in the UNITE 2030 Youth Delegate Program and was a semi-finalist on Channel 4's Make Me Prime Minister. He is a Sustainable Investing student at Harvard Online University and a speaker on intersectionality and trans/non-binary equality.
Shivani Dave
Shivani Dave (They/Them) uses storytelling and journalism to fight for the rights of LGBTQIA+ people around the world. Their work includes the creation of The Log Books podcast, highlighting British queer history that was censored by successive UK governments. As a journalist, they highlight the inequalities faced by the LGBTQIA+ communities in the UK and overseas on a range of platforms, from TV and radio to TikTok.
Dr Thomas Hughes
Thomas Hughes is a lecturer and writer, who currently teaches 19th-century art at The Courtauld Institute of Art. Dr Hughes has published academic essays on John Ruskin, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, T. J. Clark, and Marcel Proust. His writing addresses themes including drawing, painting, nature and ecology, queerness, and time.
Thyme James
Thyme James (She/They) is a young, contemporary British interdisciplinary artist. Her broad practice primarily focuses on the female form, both as subject matter and as a conceptual tool to explore women’s place within the arts, inclusivity, sexuality, and objecthood within a digital era.
Victoria Cantons
Victoria Cantons studied BA Painting at Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL in 2017, and attended Turps Art School in 2018. She completed her MFA Painting at Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, in 2021. Her solo show, What Birds Plunge Through Is Not The Intimate Space, is currently on display at Guts Gallery, London. Victoria works across multiple disciplines, connecting and disconnecting psychological boundaries in the relationships we have with ourselves and others.
Vogue Rites
Founded in 2018, Vogue Rites is London’s weekly vogue club night and music collective, celebrating Ballroom culture and community. Vogue Rites draws on the long tradition of Ballroom, originating from Drag Balls that date back over 150 years ago in Harlem, New York, founded by Black and Latinx members of the LGBTQI+ community.
Dr Will Tosh
Dr Will Tosh is Head of Research at Shakespeare’s Globe, London. He teaches, writes about, and researches the literature and culture of Shakespeare’s England, and leads the Globe’s scholarly research mission. He is the author of Playing Indoors: Staging Early Modern Drama in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, and Male Friendship and Testimonies of Love in Shakespeare’s England. Will is currently working on a book called Straight Acting: The Many Queer Lives of William Shakespeare, to be published by Sceptre in 2024.