3 new paintings in a unique Montreal show! Opens at Shaika Café July 6, 2010. 5526 Sherbrooke Street West, 5 - 9 pm. Roundtable discussion at 8. Here's my contribution: On Tuesday July 6, come celebrate the opening of the second ‘Makingit Montreal’ art exhibit at Shaika Café, featuring work by some of Montreal's most exciting English artists: Graham Hall, Naledi Jackson, Dan Buller, Nikol Mikus, and me - Kirsten McCrea
Tuesday July 6, 2010 ‘MakingItMontreal’ Group Exhibit Two vernissage Shaika Gallery and Café, 5526 Sherbrooke Street West (near corner Girouard; Vendome métro) 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Round-table discussion at 8 PM
‘MakingItMontreal’ is a unique research and promotion project highlighting English-speaking artists who chose to make Montreal home.
All of these artists moved to Montreal from elsewhere in Canada in adulthood to pursue their careers. The round-table discussion will focus on the support and resources available for English-speaking visual artists in Montreal.
The discussion will also continue online on the project’s interactive website, http://www.makingitmontreal.org, which features galleries of works, blog posts and links to resources for English-speaking artists in Montreal.
‘MakingItMontreal’ is organized by ARCMTL (best known for its Expozine small press fair and Distroboto network of cultural vending machines) and is made possible through the assistance of Canadian Heritage’s Cultural Development Fund.
I just made a video that finally puts my Hot Topic painting series to the beat of the song that inspired it. In 2006 I was back in art school after a year-long hiatus and wanted to learn how to oil paint. My profs weren't super helpful - all they said was "Just paint, and paint, and PAINT!". So, I did. I had always had this idea in the back of my mind, to visually record this song, and it seemed like a good excuse to finally do it. Two years and 60 paintings later, the Hot Topic series was done.
Here's the properly-written version of the above:
‘Hot Topic’ is a series of 60 paintings portraying each person mentioned in the Le Tigre song of the same name. This song is a tribute to feminist heroes of all stripes: artists, activists, writers, musicians, and others. Many of the people in the song have strongly influenced my own development as an artist and activist, but are relatively unknown outside of certain subcultures. In a world that celebrates manufactured pop stars but forgets the names of suffragists, I wanted to find a way to solidify the memory of the underground superstars whose creativity and ideas have made such a difference to feminists of my generation.
Portraiture has traditionally been used as a means of depicting the wealth and high social standing of its (often male) subjects. I wanted to use the portrait for its ability to announce importance and greatness, without upholding the tired ideals of the brave and solitary hero or genius. Presented on the wall in a grid, the works no longer stand as individual portraits and instead form a pastiche that is indicative of the interconnectivity and community so integral to feminist culture.
Each piece measures 8 x 12 inches and is a variety of mixed media on board.
About the Song
Hot Topic was released in 1999 by Mr. Lady Records on Le Tigre’s self-titled debut album. Le Tigre at the time consisted of Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, and Sadie Benning. Benning was later replaced by JD Samson. The lyrics included below are intended to provide readers unfamiliar with the band or song with a better concept of the series.
Hot topic is the way that we rhyme Hot topic is the way that we rhyme One step behind the drum style One step behind the drum style Carol Rama and Eleanor Antin Yoko Ono and Carolee Schneemann You're getting old, that's what they'll say, but Don't give a damn I'm listening anyway
Stop, don't you stop I can't live if you stop Don't you stop Gretchen Phillips and Cibo Matto Leslie Feinberg and Faith Ringgold Mr. Lady, Laura Cottingham Mab Segrest and The Butchies, man
Don't stop Don't you stop We won't stop Don't you stop
So many roads and so much opinion So much bullshit to give in to So many rules and so much opinion So much bullshit but we won't give in Stop, we won't stop Don't you stop I can't live if you stop
Tammy Rae Carland and Sleater-Kinney Vivienne Dick and Lorraine O'Grady Gayatri Spivak and Angela Davis Laurie Weeks and Dorothy Allison
Stop, don't you stop Please don't stop We won't stop
Gertrude Stein, Marlon Riggs, Billie Jean King, Ut, DJ Cuttin Candy, David Wojnarowicz, Melissa York, Nina Simone, Ann Peebles, Tami Hart, The Slits, Hanin Elias, Hazel Dickens, Cathy Sissler, Shirley Muldowney, Urvashi Vaid, Valie Export, Cathy Opie, James Baldwin, Diane Dimassa, Aretha Franklin, Joan Jett, Mia X, Krystal Wakem, Kara Walker, Justin Bond, Bridget Irish, Juliana Luecking, Cecilia Dougherty, Ariel Skrag, The Need, Vaginal Creme Davis, Alice Gerard, Billy Tipton, Julie Doucet, Yayoi Kusama, Eileen Myles Oh no no no don't stop stop............
You can find a short bio on every person by going to www.hottopicproject.blogspot.com, or by clicking the 'Hot Topic' label in the sidebar to the right. I will also eventually have a nice, full exhibition of the series on my main website, www.hellokirsten.com
A new illustration for Vue Weekly in Edmonton, on Canada's failure to fund abortions in developing nations through our Maternal Health Initiative.
Abortion in these countries actually SAVES children's lives, because the children of women who die are 10 TIMES more likely to die themselves within the next two years. A study by the Lancet shows that legalizing abortion does not increase the demand for it. Legalization moves the practice from back alleys to safe hospitals, greatly reducing the # of women who die, which in turn saves the lives of their remaining children. South Africa is a great study in how legalizing abortion greatly reduces childhood mortality. I know the logic is not straightforward, but the facts are well documented.
Furthermore, shouldn't women in countries we are aiding get the same medical services Canadian women do (respecting, of course, the laws and rules of said country)? We should be fighting to reduce childhood mortality abroad, not tacitly supporting repressive governments that won't even let women who have been raped or are going to die make a choice.
Stephen Harper has failed many women the world over by not funding a full range of maternal health options.
