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

Verdurin presents an idiosyncratic mix of exhibitions and events 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

Artists, contributors, guests

  • John-Robin Bold

    John-Robin Bold

    John-Robin Bold is an artist and composer who works within the fields of experimental electronic music, internet art, and video art.

  • Jack Jacobs

    Jack Jacobs

    Jack Jacobs is an actor and audiobook narrator.

  • Abbie Lucas

    Abbie Lucas

    Abbie Lucas is a filmmaker, theatre director, and co-host of Art of Darkness.

  • Karin Ferrari

    Karin Ferrari

    Karin Ferrari is an artist exploring ‘trash mysticism’.

  • Jane Cooper

    Jane Cooper

    Jane Cooper researches the poetic theory of the sublime.

  • Amir Naaman

    Amir Naaman

    Amir Naaman is a novelist and a personal trainer.

  • Malcom Kyeyune

    Malcom Kyeyune

    Malcom Kyeyune is a writer living in Uppsala, Sweden.

  • Oliver Bennett

    Oliver Bennett

    Oliver Bennett is a writer, actor, and director and co-founder of The Base Creates.

  • Kevin Kautzman

    Kevin Kautzman

    Kevin Kautzman is a playwright and co-host of Art of Darkness.

  • Travis Jeppesen

    Travis Jeppesen

    Travis Jeppesen is the author of numerous books and the creator of object-oriented writing.

  • Olive Parker

    Olive Parker

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

  • Alexander Raubo

    Alexander Raubo

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

  • Simon Fanshawe

    Simon Fanshawe

    Simon Fanshawe OBE is a broadcaster, writer, and activist. He was one of the founders of the LGBT charity Stonewall.

  • Rupert Read

    Rupert Read

    Philosopher Rupert Read is Co-Director of the Climate Majority Project.

  • Georg Kurz

    Georg Kurz

    Georg Kurz is a German politician associated with the Die Linke.

  • Fraser Myers

    Fraser Myers

    Fraser Myers is the deputy editor of Spiked magazine.

  • Bertie Marshall

    Bertie Marshall

    Bertie Marshall is a writer and performer of plays, poems, and fiction.

  • Sophie Barshall

    Sophie Barshall

    Sophie Barshall is a writer and artist, and the editor of The Toe Rag magazine.

  • Ann Snelgrove-McKerracher

    Ann Snelgrove-McKerracher

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

  • David McKerracher

    David McKerracher

    David is the founder and organisers of Theory Underground.

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