arts byMark Fisher


Books > Unholy Kingdom


Malise Ruthven, Verso Subtitled ‘Religion, Corruption and Violence in Saudi Arabia’, Ruthven’s book reflects on the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and suggests there is a dark side to the PR image projected by the House of Saud. https://tinyurl.com/28ohpten


‘M.A.L.’ The Journalism and Writing of Madeline Alberta Linford


Madeline Linford and Michael Herbert, Lulu.com The first woman on the editorial board


In depth Protests and photography


Artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen is the headline name behind Resistance, a major exhibition opening in Margate. The work, however, is by


the many photographers who have charted the great moments of political upheaval in the UK over the past century, from suffrage campaigns in 1903 to the anti-Iraq War protest of 2003. With Clarrie Wallis and


other researchers, McQueen aims to show how acts of resistance have shaped life in the UK and how photography – particularly before digital images – has played a key role in driving change. As the subtitle puts it, it is about “how protest shaped Britain and photography shaped protest”.


24 | theJournalist The exhibition and its


accompanying book brings together the work of Vanley Burke, Henry Grant, Fay Godwin, Edith Tudor-Hart, Tish Murtha, Humphrey Spender, Christine Spengler, Andrew Testa, Paul Trevor and Janine Wiedel. It also features less well-known photographers who were at the frontline of demonstrations that grabbed headlines at the


time only to be forgotten when the history books were written. The show, said Wallis,


“reframes conventional narratives of British history, prompting viewers to reconsider our shared past”. In films such as Blitz,


Occupied City and 12 Years a Slave, McQueen has given voice to the underrepresented. In Resistance, he is reminding us of


Comedy> Eshaan Akbar: Live 2025


On tour until April 12 The sometime journalist (not to mention banker, policy adviser and speechwriter) makes light of racial politics from his perspective as a stand-up comedian of Bangladeshi heritage. https://www.eshaanakbar.com


of the Manchester Guardian covered everything from theatre to fashion to life in interwar Poland. This is the first anthology of her writing. https://tinyurl.com/2bls748t


Rebel Angel: the Life and Times of Annemarie Schwarzenbach Padraig Rooney, Polity Books The French-based Irish journalist and author turns his attention to an overlooked sexual and political radical of the 1930s. Rebelling against a pro-Nazi mother, Schwarzenbach headed to the lesbian nightclubs of Berlin and the jazz bars of New York. https://tinyurl.com/28h7ys5a


Jamali Maddix: Aston On tour March 5–May 24 A familiar face from Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Taskmaster and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, Maddix was most recently seen investigating extreme subcultures in Follow the Leader for Louis Theroux’s production company. https://www.jamalimaddix.com


Exhibitions > Leigh Bowery!


Tate Modern, London, February 27–August 31 The boundary-pushing artist, performer, model, TV personality, club promoter, fashion designer and


the neglected story of popular struggle. He has a special interest


in the fight against racism and focuses here on the Black People’s Day of Action on March 2 1981. Also in the spotlight are


women’s liberation, LGBTQ+ rights, anti- fascist marches, anti- nuclear campaigns and the Greenham Common women’s peace camp. The book includes


surveillance shots and press images, as well as witness accounts. There are also contributions by writers Gary Younge and Baroness Chakrabarti.


Resistance Turner Contemporary, February 22–June 1, https://tinyurl. com/23ash6qz


Resistance Fourth Estate, February 13, https://tinyurl. com/26msod96


Festivals > DaDaFest International 40


Various venues, Liverpool, March 8–31 This year’s showcase of disability, deaf and neurodivergent arts is called RAGE: a Quiet Riot, a title that reflects frustration at the ongoing battle for equity and inclusion. Artists include Zack Mennell, Faith Bebbington and Matt Allen. https://www.dadafest.co.uk


HippFest Hippodrome Cinema, Bo’ness March 19–23


The line-up of the 15th annual celebration of silent film and live music includes New Found Sound, which teams young musicians with films from the National Library of Scotland’s Moving Image Archive, Jeely Jar Screening, which introduces comedy greats to children, and the Friday Night Gala where the audiences dresss for the theme of the film. https://tinyurl.com/23arjsun


musician is celebrated for his contribution to 1980s nightlife and 1990s art and performance. https://tinyurl.com/26euolcy


Barbara Steveni: I Find Myself Modern Art Oxford, March 1–June 8 The late activist and conceptual artist often worked outside conventional galleries via her Artist Placement Group to extend the reach of art. This collection of her work focuses on female stories and social impact. https://tinyurl.com/4brkvkvh


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