Verdurin /vəʁdyrɛ̃/ is a project space in East London hosted by Pierre d’Alancaisez and programmed with friends.

Verdurin presents an idiosyncratic mix of events, courses, and exhibitions addressing urgent cultural, political, and philosophical questions through visual culture.

Verdurin is also a concept store providing the essentials an aesthete will need to survive cultural doomsday: daring literature, artefacts deserving of perdurance, and artisanal provisions.

d’Alancaisez was first inspired to marshal an audience to discuss politics, art, and ideas critically in response to the failure of institutions and the breakdown in the cultural order following the pandemic.

The name Verdurin is borrowed from Proust’s literary character Mme Verdurin who in À la recherche du temps perdu hosts a literary salon. Verdurin today carries on her spirit of conviviality and mutual edification.

We are happy to receive pitches and ideas for events, performances, book launches, screenings, talks relating to art, culture, politics, and philosophy.

Team

  • Pierre d’Alancaisez

    Pierre d’Alancaisez

    Pierre d’Alancaisez is a curator and critic, and the founder of Verdurin.

  • Amir Naaman

    Amir Naaman

    Amir Naaman is a novelist and a personal trainer. He is involved in Verdurin publishing and events.

  • Daniel Neill

    Daniel Neill

    Daniel is a writer, and protégé at Verdurin.

Artists, contributors, guests

  • Ofri Ilany

    Ofri Ilany

    Dr. Ofri Ilany is a historian, journalist, and literary critic.

  • Stephen Adubato

    Stephen Adubato

    Stephen Adubato is a writer and host of Cracks in Postmodernity.

  • Suzanne Newcombe

    Suzanne Newcombe

    Suzanne Newcombe is a senior lecturer in Religious Studies at the Open University and honorary director of Inform.

  • Alexander Raubo

    Alexander Raubo

    Alexander Raubo is a critic and philosopher writing about internet art, modernism, America, technology, and Christianity.

  • Benjamin Studebaker

    Benjamin Studebaker

    Benjamin Studebaker is a political theorist.

  • Kristin Milward

    Kristin Milward

    Kristin Milward is an actress known for her work on the stage.

  • Philip Cunliffe

    Philip Cunliffe

    Philip Cunliffe is Associate Professor in International Relations at UCL, co-founder of Bungacast, and author of multiple books on international politics and security.

  • Aimee Armstrong

    Aimee Armstrong

    Aimee Armstrong’s work portrays modern relationships in a post-internet, post-woke, post-infographic world.

  • David McGrogan

    David McGrogan

    David McGrogan is a legal scholar and writer interested in the sociology of human rights law and the legitimacy of the state.

  • Ester Freider

    Ester Freider

    Ester Freider is a writer and ‘creative academic’.

  • Alexander Adams

    Alexander Adams

    Alexander Adams is an artist, critic, and poet.

  • Fraser Myers

    Fraser Myers

    Fraser Myers is the deputy editor of Spiked magazine.

  • Elena Louisa Lange

    Elena Louisa Lange

    Elena Lange is a philosopher, Japanologist, writer, former musician, and former assistant professor. She is the editor of Café Américain.

  • Anna Sebastian

    Anna Sebastian

    Anna Sebastian’s painting practice follows alternative and imagined realities, myth, history, and religion.

  • Nina Power

    Nina Power

    Nina Power is a philosopher and critic.

  • Nicholas Blincoe

    Nicholas Blincoe

    Nicholas Blincoe is a novelist, screenwriter, and historian.

  • Olive Parker

    Olive Parker

    Olive Parker writes stories about fuckboys, femcels, and sexual frustration.

  • Yotam Feldman

    Yotam Feldman

    Yotam Feldmam is a writer, filmmaker, and editor and a (self) trained metaphysical detective.

  • Ann Snelgrove-McKerracher

    Ann Snelgrove-McKerracher

    Ann is a co-instructor at Theory Underground. She is interested in the question of the ‘Good Life’.

  • Tim Abrahams

    Tim Abrahams

    Tim Abrahams is an architecture critic, publisher at Machine Books, and host of the Superurbanism podcast.

  • Rosie Kay

    Rosie Kay

    Rosie Kay is a dancer and choreographer who created MK ULTRA with the film-maker Adam Curtis.

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