Good Bad Books? The Promise of Pleasure, Barbican, 2023
Who is at “home” in a genre like science fiction or mystery? What kinds of reading relationships are forged by passionate fans of horror or romance? How can artists and writers make use of the mixed feelings evoked by genre fiction: from the spine-tingling to the cringe-inducing?
Good Bad Books? was a public programme produced in collaboration with Naomi Pearce, which explored the imaginative spaces of genre fiction as sites of comfort and conflict.
This project responded to the unique context of the Barbican Library and was developed in dialogue with library staff. A series of writing workshops were led by invited artists and writers – Temi Oh on Science Fiction, Lucy McKenzie on Mystery & Crime, K Patrick on Romance, and David Steans & Hardeep Pandhal on Horror. In developing their own short stories, participants were invited to re-imagine the Barbican through the lens of genre: as the scene of a crime, the setting for passionate encounter, or a refuge in a dystopian near-future.
Good Bad Books? was a public programme produced in collaboration with Naomi Pearce, which explored the imaginative spaces of genre fiction as sites of comfort and conflict.
This project responded to the unique context of the Barbican Library and was developed in dialogue with library staff. A series of writing workshops were led by invited artists and writers – Temi Oh on Science Fiction, Lucy McKenzie on Mystery & Crime, K Patrick on Romance, and David Steans & Hardeep Pandhal on Horror. In developing their own short stories, participants were invited to re-imagine the Barbican through the lens of genre: as the scene of a crime, the setting for passionate encounter, or a refuge in a dystopian near-future.
Good Bad Books?, writing workshops with K Patrick and Temi Oh, Barbican Library, 2023
A closing event explored the mixed feelings provoked by so-called ‘good bad books’, with screenings, readings and discussion. Featuring contributions from Lucy McKenzie, Martine Syms, TJ Cuthand, Jamie Crewe, So Mayer, Temi Oh, Mark Aerial Waller, Heman Chong, Cosmin Costinas, Rosemary Heather, Francis McKee, David Reinfurt, Steve Rushton and Leif Magne Tangen, along with readings from workshop participants Clive Niall and Jane Healey.
︎ See full event details ︎︎︎
Good Bad Books? The Promise of Pleasure, Barbican, 2023
The Promise of Pleasure publication gathers together a selection of original short stories created by participants of the writing workshops, with an afterword by So Mayer.
︎ Read The Promise of Pleasure (PDF) ︎︎︎
︎ Request a copy of the printed publication ︎︎︎
With special thanks to Naomi Pearce, Matt Harle, Trish Carter and the Barbican Library team.