Bowerytopia: TABOO

Sat 16 September 2023 
The Tivoli, Brisbane | Part of Brisbane Festival

The sixth iteration of The Stitchery’s celebration of Leigh Bowery Bowerytopia: TABOO was the biggest and most ambitious version yet.

The mainstage lineup featured Logie Nominated drag performer Kween Kong, performance artist Betty Grumble, and Sydney-based DJ duo Stereogamous, as well as local talent DJ Neesha from House of Alexander, surreal drag performer Gogo Bumhole, and Brisbane’s best upcoming fashion MC, DJ Tullio.

The event featured a number of rich and engaging activations throughout the Tivoli Theatre space, including the ‘Bog Bog’ photoset, designed by Paula Dunlop and Carla Binotto, where visitors posed in their slimey horror dreamscape for fashion photographer James Caswell.

Downstairs on the What’s Golden Stage, Betty Grumble delighted the audience with her ‘Unshame Machine’ performance, where she produced hundreds of pussy-prints and distributed to the audience.

In the main foyer, the incredible ColLab Brisbane exhibited their costume works from the exciting 6 week costume making program run in the lead up to Bowerytopia, sponsored by Brisbane Festival.

With over 500 attendees, over 20 arts practitioners engaged, and the best audience experience outcomes to date, this event represents the pinnacle of The Stitchery Collective’s Bowery Party practice, and created the queer heterotopia full of diverse audiences that we dream of.

Presented in collaboration with The Tivoli Theatre and Brisbane Festival.

VIEW PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERIES HERE: