Montez Press May News

May Interjection: Incomplete Poem (Scent) – Shanzhai Lyric

Shanzhai Lyric (est. 2015) is a body of research focusing on radical logistics and linguistics through the prism of technological aberration and nonofficial cultures. The project takes inspiration from the experimental Englishes of shanzhai t-shirts, mostly made in China and proliferating across the globe, to examine how the language of the counterfeit uses mimicry, hybridity, and permutation to both revel in and reveal the artifice of global hierarchies. Through an ever-growing archive of poetry-garments, Shanzhai Lyric explores the potential of mis-translation and nonsense as utopian world-making (breaking) and has previously taken the form of poetry-lecture, essay, and installation.

Image credits: @akidearest @womenshistorymuseum @erchenchang @migeuleandjello @gourdtimes @brunozhu @goodshirts @chinatshirts @2karatgold @gatarisk @violetlightandahum @babak2000 @uglydesign @flushingfinds @jonahbaseball @wm_10218

→ Read Shanzhai Lyric’s work here

From the WR archive: THE BOOK OF SLASH POEMS / VOL. 4 – Imani Mason Jordan

Imani Mason Jordan (1992-) is an interdisciplinary writer, artist, editor and curator interested in poetics and performance.

They are one half of Languid Hands (2019-), an artistic and curatorial duo founded alongside Rabz Lansiquot and dedicated to collaboration, black study and experimentation, and PAPERFLESH (2023-), a publishing press co-directed by Samra Mayanja for black writers and readers interested in love and rigour. PAPERFLESH specialises in anthologies, debut collections, editorial incisions, reprints and translations of radical, experimental literature across time-geography-genre.

Imani began their writing practice with a keen focus on interdisciplinary liberation texts and writing toward revolution; their writing remains inherently political. Since 2016, they have developed a keen interest in oration, experimentation and practices of reading aloud, from which they have synthesised a performance practice that centres writing and collaboration as well as using the speaking voice as an instrument.

→ Read Imani’s THE BOOK OF SLASH POEMS / VOL. 4 here

MONTEZ PRESS X NEXT DOOR RECORDS TWO (FUNDRAISER)  

In response to the transphobic ruling from the UK Supreme Court, Montez Press is hosting a day fundraiser in collaboration with Next Door Records Two, with support from Montez Press Radio, to raise money for the Good Law Project’s crowdfunding campaign in support of their legal case against equalities minister Bridget [removed];

Join us from 2-11pm on Sunday 15th June at Next Door Records Two for market stalls, informal advice for trans people, new and exclusive Montez merch in collaboration with JJ Johnson and Vivienne Griffin, a raffle on the ground floor, and live music downstairs from 7pm, with all proceeds from tickets, merch and raffle sales going to the Good Law Project and Trans Legal Clinic. 

Stalls from: Montez Press, The Common Press, Sticky Fingers Publishing, Em—Dash, Sissy Anarchy, Trans Kids Deserve Better + More TBA.

Performances by: Penny Goring, Hasti, Amelia Abraham, Vivienne Griffin X Billy Easter, Campbell King, Stuart Christie, P-Wave, Sharon Le Grand, Jeanie Crystal + More TBA.

Follow the link below to buy one of our tiered tickets. If you’re going to be out of town, you can still support by purchasing a non-attending donation ticket.

Come along and remind the UK that we stand by our trans siblings, and that even when it’s bad out there, we still know how to have a good time.

In solidarity, Montez Press and Montez Press Radio x

→ Get your tiered tickets here

MPR May Schedule: 

MPR will be broadcasting throughout the month from 46 Canal Street in New York and in London from the Penarth Centre. Check out our full schedule for more details at Montez Press [removed];

→ Listen at [removed]
→ Keep an eye on this month’s schedule
→ Sign up as a Supporter and unlock the archive
→ Donate

With love,
MPR & Montez Press