Mapping Cornwall’s queer history of concealment, culture & creativity with author Paul Taylor-McCartney & banner artist Alice Gabb
We’ll be chatting to author Paul Taylor-McCartney about his new book, Cornwall Uncharted, a queer history of arts and literature in Cornwall, alongside the notable banner artist Alice Gabb who now resides in Cornwall.
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Cornwall Uncharted reveals the county's vibrant queer histories for the first time, tracing a hidden tapestry of creativity and community from the eighteenth century to today. Through an original synthesis of art and literary analysis – examining studio paintings, poetry, novels and private manuscripts – as well as meticulous archival research in coaching-inn records, market ledgers, architectural surveys and wartime reminiscences, this rigorous study reconstructs the social and cultural worlds where nonconforming lives were forged. Six thematic chapters – from urban concealments and coastal artist retreats to lighthouses, rural hinterlands, du Maurier’s literary landscapes and contemporary grassroots networks – demonstrate how Cornwall’s unique geography shaped queer expression and solidarity.
Challenging metropolitan-centric narratives, this book offers a compelling model of peripheral resistance and belonging, inviting scholars and general readers alike to rediscover Cornwall as a crucial site of queer innovation.
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Alice Gabb is a queer Lettering Artist and Banner Maker based in Cornwall. Running themes throughout her career have been continually celebrating the tactility of old printing techniques and lettering, and more recently the language of protest and resistance.
Originally a self-taught Modern Calligrapher in 2014, Alice has since done courses with Susanne Cunningham, Paul Antonio and CityLit, and teaches workshops across the UK. Alice’s involvement in banner making has since led her to be involved in many campaigns, and she is very happy to support and collaborate on banners with groups that align with her politics.
Mapping Cornwall’s queer history of concealment, culture & creativity with author Paul Taylor-McCartney & banner artist Alice Gabb
We’ll be chatting to author Paul Taylor-McCartney about his new book, Cornwall Uncharted, a queer history of arts and literature in Cornwall, alongside the notable banner artist Alice Gabb who now resides in Cornwall.
—————————————
Cornwall Uncharted reveals the county's vibrant queer histories for the first time, tracing a hidden tapestry of creativity and community from the eighteenth century to today. Through an original synthesis of art and literary analysis – examining studio paintings, poetry, novels and private manuscripts – as well as meticulous archival research in coaching-inn records, market ledgers, architectural surveys and wartime reminiscences, this rigorous study reconstructs the social and cultural worlds where nonconforming lives were forged. Six thematic chapters – from urban concealments and coastal artist retreats to lighthouses, rural hinterlands, du Maurier’s literary landscapes and contemporary grassroots networks – demonstrate how Cornwall’s unique geography shaped queer expression and solidarity.
Challenging metropolitan-centric narratives, this book offers a compelling model of peripheral resistance and belonging, inviting scholars and general readers alike to rediscover Cornwall as a crucial site of queer innovation.
—————————————
Alice Gabb is a queer Lettering Artist and Banner Maker based in Cornwall. Running themes throughout her career have been continually celebrating the tactility of old printing techniques and lettering, and more recently the language of protest and resistance.
Originally a self-taught Modern Calligrapher in 2014, Alice has since done courses with Susanne Cunningham, Paul Antonio and CityLit, and teaches workshops across the UK. Alice’s involvement in banner making has since led her to be involved in many campaigns, and she is very happy to support and collaborate on banners with groups that align with her politics.
