THE EAST LONDON YEARS: A Homage to Glamour and Trash (Signed Limited Edition) -- PRE-ORDER

Available to pre-order - this title is due to ship in October

THE EAST LONDON YEARS: A Homage to Noughties Glamour and Trash

A New Limited-Edition Art Photography Book by Ralf Obergfell

Worldwide Release: 1st October 2026 · Only 350 copies · Signed and numbered · Rare item ·

“The story of my East London Years begins in a K-hole in Shoreditch in June 2005. A night

that would change my life…”. - Ralf Obergfell

„East London is not changed. It is changing…” - Gilbert & George

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A new limited edition art photography book captures the energy, brilliance and glamour of the drag

parties, queer raves and living installations of East London 2005–2015.

THE EAST LONDON YEARS by Ralf Obergfell offers a unique collective portrait of a scene: the

artists, designers, DJs, performers, venues and parties that shaped global culture before

gentrification, smartphones and political upheaval changed the world. It’s an extraordinary artistic

achievement, a tribute to friendship and creativity, a vital document of a lost subculture — and, at a

time when LGBTQ+ rights are under threat, a potent reminder of the defiant power of radical queer

community.

Throughout this extraordinary time, Obergfell was at the heart of the scene, camera in hand. THE

EAST LONDON YEARS culls 176 dazzling analogue and digital photographs from his archive of

thousands of images. Candid, intimate, outrageous, they could only be made by an insider.

Obergfell was co-creator of the legendary queer party GutterSlut, launched in 2007 and running for

seven riotous years of national and international mayhem. He takes us deep inside the Dalston back

alley that was home to his queer family and studio, to the outrageous alt-drag supper club The Pale

Blue Door (housed in a converted cheese factory), and across iconic parties and venues including

Trailer Trash, Gay Bingo, Horse Meat Disco at Glastonbury’s NYC Downlow, WetYourSelf!,

Bistrotheque, Dalston Superstore and Wolfgang Tillmans’s legendary studio party at Between

Bridges.

Obergfell’s photographs are accompanied by more than 50 first-hand accounts and memories from

the people he photographed, including celebrated artists, performers and DJs such as Gilbert &

George, Jonny Woo, Gio Black Peter, Lucy Fizz, Tommy Four Seven, Le Gateau Chocolat, A Man To

Pet, Nasir Mazhar — and many more. Contextualising texts include Obergfell in conversation with

cultural critic Ben Walters and new writing by GutterSlut muse and alt-drag icon Jonny Woo, and Pale

Blue Door creator and set designer Tony Hornecker.

It’s a world of strip clubs and club kids, disco balls and toilet cubicles, freaks and outlaws, pop stars

and gangsters — techno, electro, disco, neon alt-drag, junkyard architecture, art, friendship,

community, sex, identity, glamour and trash. All observed with an eye for beauty in the strangest

places and a beating heart full of love.

Contributors and protagonists:

A Man To Pet, Adam Joel Bennett, Adele, Alex Collins, Alexandros Pissourios, Alicia McDermott,

Andrew Armstrong, Anna Bruder, Ashley April James, Ben Walters, Billy Burrell, Blondie, Bradley

Ludford, Colin Rothbart, Cormac, Cristobal Muhr, Daniel Lismore, David Braithwaite, Elena

Requielente, Elliott J Brown, Erik Mountbatten, Fabi Dietsche, Felix Da Housecat, Femi B, Feral

Bojangles, Feral is Kinky, George Heyworth, Gilbert & George, Gio Black Peter, Hannah Holland,

Ilona Rampling, Ingenue St John, Ivan Latte, Jacinda State, Jacob Love, Jag Hunjan, James Hillard,

James Richards, Jay Barry Matthews, Jay Mansfield, Jeffrey Hinton, John Sizzle, Jonbers Blonde,

Jonny Woo, Jonty Skrufff, Josh Caff., Juan Pablo Echeverri, Karl Kolbitz, Lars Obergfell, Le Gateau

Chocolat, Lisa Lee, Lucky, Lucy Fizz, Ma Butcher, Marc Klinger, Marc with a C, Martin McLean,

Mathieu Massadian, Matt Gent, Max Allen, Miss Crystal MC, Miss Transforma, Nadia Juma, Nasir

Mazhar, Nic Fisher, Nick Joyce, Per QX, Peter Pixzel, Pia, Polly Fey, Radi, Ralf Obergfell, Rhyannon

Styles, Richard Priest, Richy Borge, Russella, Scottee, Sebastian Muhr, Severino, Shabnam Spiers,

Shay Malt, Simon Gray, Simon Vitanza, Stella, Stewart Who?, Stuart Mackie Ellis, Tasty Tim, Taylor

Mac, Terry Vietheer, Thanasis Petroyiannis, The Count Sergio, Thelma T, Tiga, Tommy Four Seven,

Tony Hornecker, Wolfgang Tillmans, Xander Noble.

A COLLECTORS ITEM 

THE EAST LONDON YEARS is printed in a strictly limited edition of 350 copies, each signed and numbered by the artist. There is no digital version. This is a deliberate choice: the book itself enacts the scarcity of the world it documents.

Specification:

Title:
THE EAST LONDON YEARS: A Homage to Glamour and Trash

Artist:
Ralf Obergfell

Publisher:
Ralf Obergfell

Release Date:
1 October 2026

Period covered:
2005 - 2015

Language:
English

Format:
Limited Edition Art Photography Book

Print Run:
350 copies, signed and numbered by the artist

Texts:
Jonny Woo, Ben Walters, Tony Hornecker, Ralf Obergfell

Protagonist Interviews:
Ralf Obergfell

Art Direction & Design:
Benjamin Wolbergs

Pages:
240 pp. (4/4 colour)

Illustrations:
240 illustrations (176 photographs, analogue and digital)

Measurements:
21.5 × 29 cm (8.4 × 11.4 inches)

Paper:
150 g/m² Gardamatt Art

Hardcover:
Circular die-cut on front cover and title embossing

Cover Cloth:
180 g/m² Wicotex Magic Mag (black)

Printing process:
Offset

ISBN:
978-3-00-086180-2