EXHIBITION
Kirsten McCrea: Hot Topic
August 3rd to September 8th, 2011
RECEPTION
September 8th, 2011, 7PM
DETAILS
“Hot Topic” is a song from the feminist electroclash trio Le Tigre. It 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 include the names of fifty-seven feminist icons.
Between 2006 and 2008, Montreal-based artist Kirsten McCrea painted a portrait of every single person named in the Le Tigre song plus the band members. The collection of sixty paintings makes up the “Hot Topic” series on view at Galerie Maison Kasini through September 8th, 2011.
“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,” writes McCrea. “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.”
In addition to the exhibition, Maison Kasini will publish a book of the portraits.
Maison Kasini will hold a “Hot Topic” Party & Book Launch on September 8th, 2011 at 7PM. The public is encouraged to come dressed as their favourite feminist.
ABOUT KIRSTEN MCCREA
Kirsten McCrea is a Montreal-based artist whose work explores issues of cultural memory, looking at pop vs. underground culture, the media, and popular mythologies. Known for her bright colours and figurative subject matter, Kirsten is quickly establishing herself as a prominent emerging Canadian artist. Primarily a painter, she is also the founder and editor of Papirmasse, an affordable art subscription. Her paintings have been exhibited nationally, and her work has been reviewed in The Walrus, Book By Its Cover, and The Montreal Gazette, amongst others. She has illustrated for the Polaris Music Prize, the Under Pressure Graffiti festival, & Poetry Magazine. Papirmasse was nominated for an Expozine Small Press Award in 2010.
