An alternative art fair questioning the sustainability of underground artworlds
October 12–15, 2023
49 Tanner Street
London SE1 3PL
United Kingdom
Save the date for Pretty Doomed, an unconventional art fair and exhibition presented by Ugly Duck & Queer Art Projects, which seeks to challenge the sustainability of the underground and queer art worlds, from October 12–15, offering a glimpse into the world of alternative art during Frieze week.
Pretty Doomed has emerged from the intricate interplay of various emotions: the feelings of doom, unsustainability, exhaustion, and financial constraint juxtaposed with the sensations of fabulousness, queerness, vitality, and alignment with our core values. Our aim is to scrutinise the sustainability of our art community, explore new economic possibilities, foster mutual support, and extend an invitation to audiences, collectors, and friends to discover artists and their works, potentially making acquisitions. Pretty Doomed will feature a group exhibition where each artwork will be on sale and a three-day program of performances, artist talks, discussions, conversations, and film screenings. The program details will be announced shortly on our social media and website.
Collaborators and participating artists
Ugly Duck is one of the few independent art venues that showcases queer and alternative art in London. Artist-led Queer Art Projects has the only online art gallery dedicated solely to queer art: qap.digital.
For Pretty Doomed, Ugly Duck and Queer Art Projects are collaborating with VSSL, Kawai Agency, ]performance s p a c e [, Care-fuffle Working Group, qap.digital, and independent artists and collectives. More collaborators will be announced on our social media and web pages soon.
Niya B, Mustafa Boğa, Nicky Broekhuysen, Elija Grybe, Nilbar Güreş, Chris Hawkes, Şafak Şule Kemancı, Tina Kohlmann, Adam Moore, Katarzyna Perlak, Alicia Radage, Sophie Seita, Victoria Suvoroff, Erdem Taşdelen, Funa Ye, ]performance s p a c e [ archive (keioui keijaun thomas, Bean), Benjamin Sebastian, Özlem Ünlü, Youngsook Choi, Tuna Erdem, Istanbul Queer Art Collective, Frances Whorrall-Campbell, Imogen Cleverley, Puer Deorum, Pamela Enyonu, Abigail McGinley, Erin Holly, Anya Palamartscuk, Magda Onatra, Ruiji Han, Hazel Blair, H. Alix Mourrier, Kasra Jalilipour, Feryel Atek, Susannah Pal, Rowan Riley, Peggy Huang, Daniel Felstead, Muzi, Finn Dovey, Bart Seng Wen Long, Yiwen Li, Chaney Diao, Juliusz Grabianski, Laura Kazaroff, Thom Grog, with more to be announced.
The exhibition will be set across four different spaces giving the audience the rare opportunity to discover all floors of Ugly Duck’s former Victorian factory.
Get ready to immerse yourself in a diverse array of artists working across mediums, all set to question, or showcase, the sustainability of queer art and independent art spaces.
Accessibility
Ugly Duck’s ground floor HUB and GARAGE are both located on the ground floor and are wheelchair accessible. The access route for wheelchair users is through the car park into the Garage. We have one fully accessible toilet, and all toilets are gender-neutral.
Ugly Duck and Queer Art Project will provide alternative documentation and experiences for individuals who may not be able to access the first and top floors.
There are benches and chairs available in the space for seating. If you require assistance for your visit to Ugly Duck, please contact us at general [at] uglyduck.org.uk, and we will do our best to help you plan your visit. Ugly Duck is operated by a team of queer and queer ally staff, all of whom have received basic training in inclusivity and accessibility.