Please join for the Brussels launch of Dissent Without Modification, written by Grace Ndiritu, a research book composed of interviews with radical and progressive artists and thinkers, who started their education and careers in the 1990s. Some are well-known, some are not. They are African, European, and American women working as painters, photographers, performers, hackers, activists and educators, among other roles such as Lisha Sterling, Monster Chetwynd and Kathrin Böhm.

A reading from the artist will start at 19h sharp, followed by Q&A

Arcade is delighted to now represent Grace Ndiritu and to present our first project together: COVERSLUT© FASHION & ECONOMIC PROJECT.

As part of the Pay What You Can sale in the gallery, fashion merchandise and archive materials from the first edition of the project (2018 to 2020), will be on display in a new “record shop” installation. These include clothing from the Psychedelic Movie Night; Cult of The Kimono; Bellatropica Global South – Ecological; FOF 1990s and the now infamous b/w BASIC fashion collection including a series of bags designed in collaboration with KASK students and their tutor, Belgian graphic designer Sara De Bondt.

The first edition was supported by Kunstencentrum Vooruit, Manoeuvre, Africalia and the City of Ghent and the Flemish Government social work dept.

COVERSLUT© is a long-term co-design fashion project centered on issues of democracy and class struggle that involves working with refugees and migrants. COVERSLUT© is also a textile apron (cover) used to hide a dirty clothes worn by kitchen maids (sluts i.e. dirty women) in 17th century English society. But with its double entendre (meaning), Ndiritu makes a tongue-in-cheek statement, about how big brands and advertising are the corporate sluts of our time. Big brands co-opt youth culture and sell it back to the young en masse, stamped with their branding and logo signs. COVERSLUT© is about reclaiming youth culture for the young.

The concept for COVERSLUT© fashion brand and its BASIC COLLECTION are further inspired by slogans and phrases from Grace Ndiritu’s book Dissent Without Modification.