Channel Rough Version

I am fed up with looking at social media. The faux intimacy of people trying to sell your online courses. The never ending ads for fetish-infused only fan accounts. The inability to just see your friends’ posts. The algorithmic manipulation in the service of a platform. I get the good bits (seeing where your friends are in the world. DMs, seeing dance class updates). But i scroll far too much. Hours too long. And I wanted something else/

Back in the day i had an old school blogspot. The original Rough Version (before the final copy of things printed in the pages of Dazed, AnOther, Twin etc). A black blog in typewriter font with a list of links on the right hand side and posts in the middle. It lasted around 8 years or more - who remembers. The archive of it is uploaded here (just keep hitting backwards - you can also search at this page https://www.francescagavin.com/roughversion/2016/12/30/search-here )

So I am going to attempt to set up a telegram channel where I am going to attempt to put things i like here - books, exhibitions, new talents, music, online and offline discoveries, links to essays and other stuff that makes me and engaged and excited about life. (I may summarise some on the blog once a month). Here is the invite link: https://t.me/+nXHDdEaaPCg5MmVk

Things like this:

Best emerging art exhibitions: Ella Fleck at Season Six Episide Four ; Zayd Menk at St Chats Projects

Best big gallery show: Klara Liden ‘Square Moon’ at Sadie Coles HQ Kingly St (incredible - sculpture and video but maybe the best take on painting of the past decade)

Krautrock Karaoke (and finally sang Sun Ra' Space is the Place with Keniichi Wasa and Naima Cherry.- who record together at Exotic Sin and have a new album out in 2025) This was very fun.

Went to the Plaster magazine Xmas exhibition and party and sat on Tiara Skye’s lap (im the conclusion of this reel hahah)

Had Sedrick Chisom on my NTS show Rough Version (archive link up soon)

May fail but it’s an attempt at something fresh. 2025. New year and all that.