Exploring the intimate act of keeping a diary, Ctrl.Alt.Shift presents ‘Dear Diary’, taking the form of an exhibition, a live VIP event in association with international cult diary performance night ‘Cringe’, and a beautifully produced limited edition diary that can be used to record those all important youthful epiphanies.

From the trivia of ‘Does my bum look big in this?’ or ‘What does this boy think of me?’ to parental conflicts and sibling rivalries and the more serious issues of politics and poverty that face teenagers today, ‘Dear Diary’ examines being a teenager, and the wider social and political contexts of diary keeping. A number of the diaries are included in Ctrl.Alt.Shift presents Dear Diary to draw attention to the lives of young people coping with extreme experiences throughout the world including those growing up in the slums of Kenya. Featuring a cover illustration from Ctrl.Alt.Shift collaborator Alexa Chung and works of notable diary keepers like Courtney Love and Dan Eldon, Dear Diary promises to be on everyones wish-list this year.

And thats not all; to celebrate the release of this amazing and insighful journal, we are throwing a little party at central London space Supersuperficial in Covent Garden where we will explore the genre of diary writing, from the moving audio diary  'Thembi's AIDS Diary: A Year in the Life of a South African Teenager' from the Radio Diaries podcast (www.radiodiariespodcast.blogspot.com) to the fictional ‘The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer’ in ‘Twin Peaks’. At the heart of the exhibition will be the collection of Irving Finkel of the British Museum. These diaries of unknown British writers span the last century, chronicling the two world wars, illuminating the fact that despite the great events of history, the human condition remains strangely universal. Other work includes the photographic journals of Kenyan conservationist Peter Beard, and the work of British/ Kenyan journalist Dan Eldon, whose visual journals have become a living testament to a huge talent when he died at the hands of an angry mob in Mogadishu at the age of just 23, as well as the outpourings of lifelong diarist Anais Nin, the journals of Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love and Sylvia Plath. A comfy chair and a mini library of diaries will be on hand for quiet perusal, as well as headphones for audio diaries.

And if you thought it ends there, think again: Ctrl.Alt.Shift presents Dear Diary, the VIP event at Hoxton Hall sees Ctrl.Alt.Shift presenting a night in association with teenage diary event Cringe. Having built up an underground following in the USA, Cringe has recently relocated to our shores and is already creating a stir. Expect an evening of excruciating, moving and thought-provoking readings from members of the public who will be reading extracts from their own teenage diaries, plus a selection of engaging entries from all around the world. The live performances will be followed by dancing and music supplied by Matt Horne, Jodie Harsh and a special Filthy Dukes Teenage Bedroom set.  

So don't miss out on your chance to be a part of one of the most exciting events and movements of the year, thanks to Ctrl.Alt.Shift and Cringe. 

Ctrl.Alt.Shift is an experimental initiative politicising a new generation of activists for social justice and global change. Using creativity, photography, film, stories, illustrations and music, it aims to give a voice to the silent majority.

Words: James Prosho