Frederike De Jonge: “Recently the worlds largest Fetish / Body Art Club, Torture Garden, attracting between 800 and 2600 people monthly to various venues in London, descended upon Brighton's Ocean Rooms for a night of hedonistic mayhem. Dressing to excess and the height of ones creativity / individuality is the general consensus that is adhered to!”
From the Torture Garden Website:
WHY TORTURE GARDEN & TG?
Torture Garden was named after the turn of the century novel by Octave Mirbeau, which was set in a Chinese Garden of Torture. We chose it more because of the exotic and mysterious images that it evoked, rather than the specific novel itself.
From the beginning we often shortened Torture Garden to TG, because it was shorter and didn't scare the Bank manager! But it was also a reference to an earlier TG - Throbbing Gristle the seminal industrial experimentalists and founders of Psychic TV, Temple Ov Psychic Youth, Coil, Chris n Cosey etc.
TG's circle logo was literally inspired by the back of a lorry! Keep an eye out in France?
EVOLUTION
Following the Opera on the Green, TG found new long-term homes at legendary industrial factory The Electrowerkz and the 4 floor Paradise Club (later changed to Complex) before celebrating it's 4th Birthday at super club Ministry of Sound. As the crowd grew from 700 to 1200 this was TG's most innovative and original period as there was an explosion of talent and creativity. Fetish was now fashionable to the mainstream, and it never looked back. Other important TG venues included the Leisure Lounge before it found it's most long term home at Mass from the late 90's until the present. In 2002 & 2003 TG celebrated its Birthday event with 2500 people at London's biggest club venue - Brixton Academy, and since then has sold out SeOne to 2600 and established its Birthday Ball as an international weekender of 4 parties in 3 days!
ACCEPTABLILITY OF FETISH
In the 80's and early 90's Fetish & SM was still taboo and very underground, and even dressing in Rubber and going to a fetish club seemed a dangerous activity. As TG's notoriety grew, so did the `shock & scandal' reports in the tabloids, resulting in the Police frequently forcing venues to close events in 1991 – 1993.
However, as numbers attending grew at prestigious venues such as the Ministry of Sound, and fetish fashion and creativity influenced the mainstream, fetish became trendy and venues actively wanted us at their venues.
As British society opened up to sexuality in general during the late 90's, the media also changed in their attitude to fetish. From tabloid to channel 4, fetish was now generally depicted in a positive light.
In the new millennium it seems that everyone knows someone that's been to a fetish club and it's generally becoming acceptable. However fetish and fetish clubbing is not for everyone, and we don't want just any-body at our events.
THE CROWD
TG's multi-dimensional events cater equally for a huge range of open-minded individuals from young fashionable clubber to alternative arty weirdo and burlesque cabaret fan to sophisticated SM regular. Providing something for every-body from any age group (18-60 ), sexual orientation and gender. Creating an environment that accepts and encourages individualism, diversity and free self-expression.
Ultimately it is the crowd above all that generates the energy and atmosphere of an event, and the TG crowd is the most diverse, radically dressed up and cutting edge crowd in the world wide scene. It is they who have made TG what it is.
At TG the crowd are the stars and everyone is a celebrity, but famous visitors have included Marilyn Manson, Dita Von Tease, Jean Paul Gaultier, Boy George, Courtney Love & Marc Almond. Unfortunately Adam Ant was turned away for not dressing up enough!
DRESS CODE
The TG dress code strives to avoid narrow limitations and encourage individual imagination and diversity. A modern fetish club is like an adult fancy dress party and is more about fantasy and transformation than just rubber and leather. Also, many of the best outfits seen at TG are made by those wearing them or assembled from various second hand articles (i.e.: theatrical costume or uniforms). So if you can't afford expensive rubber or leather costumes then explore personal fantasies and use your imagination, or even try body paint! Please always remember that if your outfit wouldn't turn heads in the street - don't bother to wear it to Torture Garden. Also, many of those attending bring their outfit in a bag and get changed within the club.
To see more of Torture Garden check out the TG LIFE Photo Gallery
To see more of Frederike de Jonge's images go to www.myspace.com/deadringers_f_de_jonge