Dragging the Archive - Bishopsgate Institute

Dragging the Archive: Kings, Queens and Things was an event that took place at Bishopsgate Institute in London on 8th June 2023 to celebrate the handing over of the Orlando Myxx archive that contains over 2400 drag performances (and other queer art events & exhibitions), that Myxx documened between 2016-23.

#Sergina was the host_ess for the evening, welcoming King Frankie Sinatra and Shakona to the stage, and Orlando Myxx. In the three days leading up to this event, #Sergina, in collaboration with Elly Clarke and Kate Mahoney, made the How To Delve in the Archive Video Dragging In the Bishopsgate Archive. During this first ever screening of this film #Sergina sat on stage watching herself. At the second sounding of the song she sang along with it:

[sung] we’re shedding light on the archive. 
we’re shedding light on the archive. 
we’re shedding light on the archive. 
we’re shedding light on the archive. 
we’re shedding light on the archive.

[spoken] i’m now free to get old, as after i’m gone these moving images will remain 
these still images
straddling platforms
and now they are in this Victorian building. 
surrounded by these books
and these histories

my present at one point in november, 2021, 
was captured by orlando
on their camera
and it swiftly became my past
now is entangled with the archives
entangled with history
entangling with histories 
entangled alongside those of others

[sung] the archive is alive
the archive is alive

we’re shedding light on the archive. 
we’re shedding light on the archive.

[spoken] and we’re dragging the archive
we dragging in the archive
we’re dragging the archive
an archive is a form of drag
if ever you have moved your books. you will know this.

After the screening slash watching #Sergina removed her wig and her shoes, and Elly Clarke gave ‘An Academic Lecturette’ about dragging the archive in the context of Bishopsgate Institute Library, where the assembled crowd was. 

Watch the video here.