In Memory of Now

Dorcas Tang 邓佳颖

Enter The Bearded Tit, and you might think you’re in heaven.
(If heaven were an idiosyncratic bar, institution, and community space in Redfern.)

The words “In Memory of Now” are emblazoned on its entrance: an invocation to a suspended present. Its foyer walls—cerulean blue and dappled with biblical clouds—open into a cavernous space carrying the low murmur of conversation.

When I arrive, I’ll usually order the most affordable wine from Mia/Madi/Liam and wave hello to Mark, who is busy setting up the red faux-leather chairs. If it’s Wednesday night, Jonny—ethereal in their white uniform—will be behind the decks for Queerbourhood. I’ll see a couple of queers whose faces I recognise, whose names I can’t quite place—and hope that my shy smile will suffice as greeting. I’ll covet the cosy booth seats but will often end up perched on a hard bar stool, surveying the room with curiosity. As night falls, upbeat electronic music will reverberate through the space, conducted through the prayer of swaying hips and sweaty thighs.

I first came to The Bearded Tit after a devastatingly lonely lockdown. Having moved countries in early 2020, it was nearly impossible to find community. When we resurfaced from our respective isolations, I stumbled into the Tit. At the time, entering through that glass door meant having a laugh with Tommy, chatting with Kelly about their toddler, and reciprocating an all-encompassing hug from boss lady Joy. The space radiated acceptance and warmth, cultivated by the queer folks who called the Tit home. I yearned for and cherished it—the genuine care that people hold for one another within its walls (replete with decals of naked ladies).

In Staging Portraits, each photograph is a memory of now. Taken within my makeshift studio on stage, these images suspend fleeting moments of tenderness and intimacy. They offer a glimpse into the ways queer folks have redefined concepts of home and family for themselves, often out of necessity and survival. In essence, this project is my love letter to The Bearded Tit. A devotion to the sacred kinships formed here and the joy and pleasure we nurture while dancing, drinking, laughing, crying and embracing.