A new book project, 'Nacht op Scherp' (Night on Edge), has launched a crowdfunding campaign to create a definitive oral and visual history of Amsterdam's queer performance scene in the 1990s. The book aims to capture the duality of an era defined by both exuberant creativity and the profound grief of the AIDS epidemic.
Donate here: https://www.voordekunst.nl/projecten/20676-nacht-op-scherpnight-on-edge
The project is led by nightlife figures Bep Mous and Geert-Jan Kuijpers, in collaboration with writer and journalist Bamber Delver. They are opening their extensive personal archives for the first time, providing a foundation for a 160-page, full-colour hardcover book. It promises a wealth of never-before-published photographs, costume designs, and personal memories from a pivotal decade in the city's queer history.
A Decade of Defiance on the Dance Floor
The 1990s in Amsterdam are often remembered for legendary nightclubs like iT, RoXY, Mazzo, and de Trut, which became focal points for queer expression. Yet, this vibrant nightlife existed under the shadow of the AIDS crisis. 'Nacht op Scherp' delves into this paradox, exploring how performers used glitter, art, and audacity as a form of resistance and survival while friends and community members were lost to the epidemic.
The book is dedicated to Manfred Langer, the influential owner of the club iT, and will feature stories from and about influential figures of the time, including Mayday, Howie Getman, Erwin Olaf, Vera Springveer, and Hellen Zelluf, offering a multifaceted look at a community that responded to loss with an explosion of creativity.
From Then to Now: A Legacy of Resilience
The creators argue that these stories are more than just history; they are a vital lesson for today. The project aims to draw a line from the discrimination, isolation, and politicization of a virus in the '90s to the rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment seen globally. It poses a question that remains relevant: how does a community maintain visibility and create hope when faced with hostility?
"The history threatens to disappear," the project's mission states. "The people who experienced it are growing older... The performers of the 90s knew the answer. It is time the rest of the world reads it too."
How to Support the Project
To bring 'Nacht op Scherp' to life, the team is seeking community support through a crowdfunding campaign on the Voordekunst platform. The funds will cover the costs of compiling the material, graphic design by the Gebroeders Silvestri, and printing.
Supporters can contribute in exchange for a range of rewards, including:
- A signed copy of the book
- A mention as a supporter in the book's colophon
- An original photograph from the collection
- Access to the official book presentation, scheduled to take place during WorldPride Amsterdam in July 2026.
The book is presented not as an outsider's academic study, but as a story told from within by those who lived it, combining personal memory with artistic and journalistic insight.
