Lavender Menace.
Curated by ; Maddie Alexander
Artists: Adrienne Crossman, Maximilian Suillerot, Charlie “Scratchpeppper” McQuaide, Faith, Jesse King.
The White House Studio Project, May 17th-25th, 2018.
At a National Organization for Women (NOW) meeting in 1969, author, activist, founder and president of NOW Betty Friedan stated that “outspoken lesbians” had become a “threat to the feminist movement.” Friedan claimed that their presence “distracted from the ultimate goal of gaining equality for women,” and labeled them a “lavender menace." Nearly 50 years later, this rhetoric of exclusion as a means for assimilation still remains present. Being too loud, too radical, or non-commodifiable deems you a potential threat. Within this exhibition, these five artists explore varying intersections of queerness which are continually erased, overlooked, or silenced in order to keep queerness palatable for the masses.
Lavender Menace; A Panel Discussion
May 24th, 2018, Toronto Media Arts Centre
Panelists:
Heath V. Salazar ( Gay Jesus)
Faith (Pieces to Pathways)
Morgan Sears-Williams (The RUDE Collective)
Mark-Che Devonish (The RUDE Collective).
Moderated by: Maddie Alexander
This panel features 4 cultural producers and community organizers whose work lies at the intersection of art and activism, specifically in relation to intersectional queer communities. Topics will include but are not limited to: embodied methods of art making; translating experience into action; and the process of carving out space. This panel has been organized in conjunction with the exhibition “ Lavender Menace ”, curated by the moderator Maddie Alexander at The White House Studio Project (open from May 17th-25th). It will be an hour-long panel, with introductions and questions provided by the moderator, as well as time set aside for audience questions as conclusion. Light refreshments and snacks will be provided. This project is supported by the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council, and Wysp.ca.