Museum of London today announced that iconic London venue fabric will become the world’s first nightclub-in-residence.
The partnership will kick off with My bodily remains, your bodily remains, and all the bodily remains that ever were, and ever will be. (Down, skin, pelt, vellum, alert tangled roots, subcutaneous flesh, subterranean blind life), a new performance commission by artist Tai Shani for Art Night, which will be staged at fabric on 25th October. My bodily remains will feature an original live score by Shani’s long-term collaborator Maxwell Sterling and Richard Fearless (Death in Vegas).
fabric are thrilled to be teaming up with our friends and soon to be neighbours at the Museum of London on this new venture and residency. It is a significant moment for us in our journey to establish fabric as a key cultural brand and represents a core milestone for the venue as we move towards our 25th birthday in 2024. As well as communicating fabric as a core cultural space, we’re also on a mission to promote electronic music as an art-form. This new residency reflects this and we’re delighted to be hosting the first event in the partnership featuring a special performance commission by Turner Prize Winning Artist Tai Shani on 25th October.
Cameron Leslie, Co-Founder, fabric.
To live stream the performance on 25th October 2022, visit: youtu.be/4PXO5mESGeI
The one-night-only performance will take the form of a chamber play and celebrate the Museum of London’s impending relocation to West Smithfield as well as the Museum of London Dockland’s major exhibition Executions (through to 16 April 2023), which traces the history of public executions from the 12th to the 19th century.
The museum is closing its doors at its main site at London Wall on 4th December ahead of its relocation to West Smithfield, where it will occupy market buildings and save the historic General Market for generations to come.
Situated opposite the museum’s new location is fabric, one of the world’s most venerated nightclubs. fabric is in a renovated Victorian building once used as the Metropolitan Cold Stores – one of several refrigerated warehouses serving Smithfield Meat Market. This unique cultural partnership brings these two historically connected buildings back together.
fabric will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2024 – the museum will collaborate with the famed nightclub to mark this special milestone and celebrate its impact on London’s nightlife and music scene.
The museum will also work with fabric in 2025 for a festival curated by Londoners hosted in and around the new museum building at West Smithfield, offering Londoners a chance to see the restored General Market building alongside music, art commissions, food and events inspired by London and all its people from the past, present and future.
fabric will also be involved in the museum’s opening in 2026, where it will formally undertake its position as nightclub in residence.
The partnership will enable the museum to connect with the cultural community in Smithfield. It will be the first in a series of creative, commercial and community partnerships that the museum will forge to connect with Londoners and showcase London’s history in a variety of ways, including its famed musical past.
From DJ EZ to Jossy Mitsu, fabric has been at the forefront of the international electronic music scene for decades. As we embark on our exciting new journey, we are thrilled to join forces with fabric – our soon-to-be neighbours and one of London’s most iconic cultural spaces. Our collaboration will create special moments and memories for Londoners and visitors to the city. The first of many collaborations to offer new perspectives on London’s story.
Sharon Ament, Director, Museum of London.
About Art Night’s 2022 performance commission by artist Tai Shani
My bodily remains, your bodily remains, and all the bodily remains that ever were, and ever will be. (Down, skin, pelt, vellum, alert tangled roots, subcutaneous flesh, subterranean blind life) by Tai Shani will be performed at fabric on 25th October 2022. It will feature an original live score by Shani’s long-term collaborator Maxwell Sterling and Richard Fearless (Death in Vegas).
Presented by Art Night and the Museum of London, My bodily remains is supported using public funding by Arts Council England, with further support from Simmons and Simmons, Mishcon de Reya and Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation.
The collaboration is a precursor to Art Night’s transition to a national, biennial contemporary art festival, with the first new model festival planned for 2023 and to be announced before the end of 2022. This work by Tai Shani will be re-staged for the 2023 festival.
To live stream the performance on 25th October 2022, visit: https://youtu.be/4PXO5mESGeI
