MCLA Gallery 51: Sexpectations
Featuring:
Chris Antemann, Martha Colburn, Autumn Doyle, Raymond Felix, Robert
Gullie, Sean Hovendick, Joan Kiley, Portia Munson, Nate Page, Thor
Wickstrom
Sexpectations examines how the media and pop culture contorts,
misrepresents and informs perceptions of one self and how we relate to
others. These ten artists utilize a variety of mediums to express how
they are affected by the omnipresence of mass media. The exhibition
questions social pressures that attempt to force individuals to conform
to idealized images.
Artists Sean Hovendick and Martha Colburn have used animation as well
as computer generated and found images, to create videos that deal with
societal constructions of masculinity and femininity, the struggle to
adapt to society's vision of gender roles, and the resulting harmful
effects to our psyches and bodies. Colburn's "Cosmetic Emergency" is a
reflection on our national obsession with beauty and appearance.
Similarly, one computer interactive of Hovendick's, "It's All Inside
Out", focuses on the representation of the so-called ideal man and the
individual striving for that attainment creates internal divide.
Thor Wickstrom and Nate Page explore the effect of media on body image,
using actual publications to create paintings and sculpture. What are
the implications of portraying the 'best' and 'worst' body types seen
in the headlines of the 'National Enquirer' and similar publications on
our sense of self?
Not only does society construct these blueprints of gender, it markets
to these ideals. Portia Munson's "Pink Project Table" features a mass
assemblage of products in the color pink, a color usually used in
marketing towards young girls and women. Joan Kiley's "Big Deal" is a
painting using multimedia images that also channels this theme. Raymond
Felix explores medicines and health and beauty products marketed to
men. With the seemingly constant barrage of images in advertisements
our perception of what is desirable is altered.
Artists Autumn Doyle, Chris Antemann, and Robert Gullie take these
constructs and turn them on their heads. Using classical aesthetics,
Doyle and Antemann address modern gender issues such as transexuality.
The photo collages of Robert Gullie contain gender stereotypes as well
as characters who rebel against set identities.
Credits:
Sexpectations was curated by students in the Museum Studies
class, part of MCLA's Arts Management program: Edgar Contreras, Sarah
Dion, Laura Gibson, Joanna Gillis, Sarah Lomas, Stephanie Naffah, Gary
Noke, Michael Obasohan, Carrie Richards, Brielle Rizzotti, Barbara
Rundback, Lucy Sacco, Natalie Tottenham, Tara Von Schmidt, Lesley Zaya,
Assistant Professor Laura Thompson, and Kidspace at MASS MoCA intern
Kacey Light. Thank you for the loan of the artwork to the
artists; Lesley Ferrin Gallery, Pittsfield, NY; and Jen Bekman Gallery,
NYC.
