”An Ode: Reframing the Classics”

Presenting the Second Audio Collections Series, produced by Chai with Rai and titled An Ode: Reframing the Classics. 

In 2025, in collaboration with the LGBTQ+ Community Centre at London Bankside, we introduced a new audio series: An Ode: Reframing the Classics—continuing its mission to amplify diverse voices and creative perspectives. 

Selected as Artist of the Month for July 2025, Raimu Itfum presented An Ode: Reframing the Classics as a public exhibition at Theatre Deli,  which opened throughout July and was free to attend.

This exhibition seeked to reframe and celebrate storytelling through a queer lens. At its heart was a curated selection of original audio works by ; Amar Bains, Rupinder Kaur, Tarek Khwiss, Punya Rajput, Bethany Henry Gemmell, Gayathiri Kamalakanthan and Anthony Pius. Complementing the audio stories were three short films:

• Queerifying the Dulhan by Sammy Kumar

• The Search by Rupinder Kaur

• Jheel by Raimu Itfum — a preview of their forthcoming poetry mixtape MYTHS: From the Diary of Just A F£@K Boy with Feelings, scheduled for release later this year.

In this episode you will be listening to the following stories (in order): 

• Fire in my Room by Amar Bains
• What the Waves Remember: Amrit Kaur by Rupinder Kaur
• Confessions by Tarek Khwiss
• The Sari Chronicles by Anthony Pius
• The Sabhã no Longer Stands by Punya Rajput 

A massive Thank you to Bethany Henry Gemmell for their work on the project. You can find the Transcripts HERE and artists Interviews HERE. 

To listen to the previous audio series Symphonies of Beaded Threads, click HERE. 

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