Page 17 - OPEN BOOK FESTIVAL - March 2022

27 3 2022 BOOK NOW R50 27 3 2022 BOOK NOW R50 Bertha House Kopanong @12h00 Bertha House Kopanong Queering Family: Robert Hamblin Thenjiwe Mswane and Keely Shinners explore what family can mean in in the company of Kelly Smith
Robert Hamblin is is is an an an an artist father and and a a a a a a a a a a a gender activist born in in in Johannesburg South Africa He lives and and works in in in Cape Town Hamblin’s paintings and and photographic works have been exhibited in in in in in South Africa and and internationally The artist has received critical acclaim for his work that contribute to debates around body politics in in a a a a a a a a a a a post-apartheid-regime era Hamblin’s work is is concerned with issues of queer queer masculinity as as a a a a a a a a transgender person He transitioned from queer queer female in in apartheid era South Africa to to transgender male after the the the fall of of the the the apartheid government His perspectives of of coming into white maleness in in such a a a a critical time is is is is is visited in in his work His first book is is is is is Robert: A Queer and Crooked Memoir Thenjiwe Mswane holds a a a a a Masters in in Anthropology She is currently doing a a a a a PhD with SWOP (Society Work and Politics Institute) at Wits University Mswane is is an an an experienced Gender Researcher and a a a a a a a retired Queer Activist All Gomorrahs are the Same is her debut novel Keely Shinners is is a a a a a a a a writer from Fox Lake Illinois Currently they live and work in in in Cape Town Their essays have appeared in in the the journals James Baldwin Review & & Safundi as as as well as as as the the publications ArtThrob Africanah ASAI Mask & & Full Stop They are the editor editor of of of ArtThrob founder founder & & editor editor of of of [in review] & & co-founder of of of Best Friend Club Their debut novel How To Build a a Home for the the End of the the World has just been published Kelly Smith
is a a a a a a a a a a a a a Capetonian jack of of all trades and master of of fun She curated the literary performance art event Naked Girls Reading and co-founded the the Unofficial Pink Party a a a a a a a monthly social event in in in celebration of of the the LGBTQI community as as as well as as as Raunchy Renditions a a a a a a a a sex positive storytelling event She had the pleasure of editing They Called Me Queer a a a a a a a a collection of queer South African stories published in 2019 17