Polari Mission: Bona Eek at John Rylands Library

Manchester Pride takes some time out from the bright festivities this year to delve into a more secretive part of gay history. Trailblazed as part of Pride Fringe 2013, visual artists Jez Dolan and Joseph Richardson have teamed up for an innovative series of works uncovering the hidden histories of Polari – an endangered secret language used by gay communities as a means of disguise and identification. As part of their Polari Mission, the project explores the social, cultural and political importance of the language, using visual digitals works through different media to retell its place in LGBTQ heritage and the stories of those who use it. Featuring The Polari Bible and a short film created in John Rylands Library itself, there will also be two free tours guided by Dolan and Richardson on Saturday 31 August and Saturday 28 September for more insight into their motivation behind the Mission.

Fri 16 Aug 2013 – Sun 2 Feb 2014, John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate, M3 3EH, Tel: 0161 306 0555, Tue – Sat 10am – 5pm, Sun – Mon 12pm – 5pm, FREE, www.library.manchester.ac.uk