For years, participants at The Corner have created an annual ‘Zine. This ‘Zine complies contributions from participants of The Corner program, a confidential drop in space for Male, 2 Spirit, Trans, Non-Binary, and Gender Diverse People who are sex work experiential. It features visual art pieces as well as writing from participants in this program.
To create the ‘Zine, drop-in participants are invited to participate in creative workshops, facilitated by Ken Godmere (art) and Justin Ducharme (writing). Those who do participate have the chance to share their art, writing, and perspective on life in our city, as folks navigating stigma, sex work, substance use, and housing and economic hardship.
For XX years, The Corner participants have produced a ‘Zine. This annual project is something participants, facilitators, and volunteers look forward to as a way of connecting with each other. This body of work includes contributions for many sex workers in our community who have died, almost always connected to ongoing inequities – violence faced by sex workers and those living rough, toxic drugs, transphobia, whorephobia, colonization, and other forms of stigma. We honour the many sex workers who have gone before us.
Many thanks to Health Initiative for Men, Three Bridges Community Health Center, Ken Godmere, Justin Ducharme, Vancouver Coastal Health, and all of our amazing participants!
This ‘Zine was created on the stolen homelands of Coast Salish Peoples, including the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō, and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are grateful to these host nations for their past, present, and future stewardship of these lands and waters and stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island and around the world.
We are pleased to share this reflection from ‘Zine facilitator, Ken Godmere:
“As an artist and instructor, my goal (and my passion) is to facilitate a space for open connection and creativity. Fortunate in connecting with The Corner drop-in centre to lead creative art workshops, I quickly learned from the participants (and from the pulse and pace of the space) that these sessions require more of a series of one-to-one artistic encounters, encouragements and exchanges.
The ZINE has become a chance to meet participants individually and discuss/discover wherever their art may be living. Or lurking. Or yearning. I look for ways I can directly dare that one human being to “leave a hand print on a cave wall” — some moment or manifestation of spirit or self. Here and now.
Something to say, “I am.” “I experience.” “I feel.” And to be a published Artist!
From quickie rip-and-paste ‘art-for-a-gift-card’ pieces, to dramatically framed complex compositions, every one of these artists have left their personal perspectives – their “hand-prints” – in The ZINE.
And in me.
A single word, written on a paper flower, from a usually-guarded ‘anti-art protester’, was explained to me as: “I don’t want to make art, but I wanted to be part of the group poster”. [‘Blocks & Blooms’]”
>Ken Godmere
