Natalia Damigou Papoti

Guest Writer

Personal Brief

Natalia Damigou Papoti is an independent writer, mainly interested in sexuality, desire, feminist politics, and gender. Since 2017 she has been working in Live Art festivals and events and since 2019 in the Live Art Development Agency.

Natalia was the co-founder of the interdisciplinary UNCENSORED Festival (2019, London) that explored pornography at the intersection of art and activism, and reflected on the existing and forthcoming legislation regarding sexually explicit content in the UK. She was also a member of CUNTemporary/Arts Feminism Queer.

She has a background in journalism and cultural criticism.

Artists on your radar, shout them out!

Charlotte Cooper – because she’s described punk as ‘an assertive femme sensibility’, and because she should really be on everyone’s radar.

Bonnie Bakeneko – I’ve been checking out his body horror work for ages from afar; I really want to see him perform.

Narcissister – because I just love everything she does.

Kembra Pfahler, always and forever.

Which is your number one location - and what's it best for?

For quite some time it used to be Moth Club as I had associated it with an incredible Lydia Lunch gig. I now need to find my new number one locations for the post-2020 world.

'Getting creative', what's it all about?

Being so absorbed in what you want to say/make that you get lost in your own self-sufficient universe – or plotting and planning extremities with like-minded people (hoping you won’t get too disillusioned along the way).

Your Life, Right Now - what's the soundtrack?

Everything by Sault, Sampa the Great on repeat, and a Spotify playlist called 70s Porno Music. I’ve finally managed to stop listening obsessively to Róisín Murphy’s Mi Senti and I’m very proud of myself.

What is your idea of a jolly good time?

Feeling excited, free, careless; having the certainty that everything can happen; being surrounded by equally enthusiastic people; experiencing the ‘final night’ sentiment – when everything is so great you wouldn’t mind your life to end. Sweat, music and great outfits are almost necessary components of my jolly good time.

What happened the last time you were a complete disgrace?

I rarely feel I’m a disgrace – even if I find myself throwing up, hugging my grandma’s toilet seat, during a family reunion Sunday lunch where I’m the oldest cousin (may or may not have happened).