"Even archival material is imbued with power. Collect all forms of ephemera which make up a person's life.
[…] Resist talking about communities instead of with communities. Allow your archives to be ever growing,
adapting and learning. Don’t just reflect powerful, visible people, but also those who are ordinary or under-represented."
Cat Kerr, Manifesto for Queering the Archive, 2024.
This project proposes the creation of a digital design archive focused on Lisbon's
queer nightlife context, with an emphasis on the post-pandemic period. This online space
portrays the aesthetics of local clubbing culture through the collection, selection,
compilation and organization of graphic and visual materials. These materials include posters,
photographs and other forms of visual communication, both digital and printed, typical of these
environments.
The website acts as a visual archive that facilitates the search and exploration of content organized
by events, artists, dates and locations, giving space and visibility to the creators of the
local queer scene. Its structure reflects this intention, based on a selection not of objects,
but of the entities, collectives, projects and designers that give form, meaning, and dynamics
to Lisbon’s nightlife.
In addition to its documental function, this project values and recognizes design as a means
of political and cultural action, bringing together different communication approaches. It also
reveals how dance floors can transcend the role of mere spaces for festive events, presenting
alternative ways of inhabiting, caring for and celebrating community, identity and resistance.
AFONSO HORTA
MASTER'S IN COMMUNICATION DESIGN AT FBAUL
PROJECT II
LABORATORY II
2024/2025
ALL IMAGE AND DESIGN RIGHTS ARE RESERVED TO THE AUTHORS.