the many faced god·dess

groupshow from May. 19th to Jul. 11th, 2021
at Maison Populaire, Montreuil (FR)

with Nils Alix-Tabeling, Sabrina Röthlisberger Belkacem, Bye Bye Binary, Ivan Cheng, Claude Eigan, Cédric Esturillo, Brandon Gercara, Tarek Lakhrissi, Élodie Petit, the Queer Ancestor Project, Sin Wai Kin (fka Victoria Sin), Simon Brossard & Julie Villard

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The exhibition the many-faced god·dess is inspired by the practices of impersonation and their influence on queer theory and contemporary art practices, among which drag plays a primordial role. The frequentation of drag shows, hugely popular in the United States, accompanied Judith Butler in the writing of her seminal book Gender Trouble. They also inspired Elizabeth Freeman’s concept of transtemporal drag, developed in order to investigate the influence of the past on the present. The practices of drag and their corollaries – cosplay, fandom, drama, stand-up, performance, and theatricality – describe a strategic, political, and self-conscious scene, concerning the way in which bodies are created, interpreted, and incarnated. They also allow us to examine archaeology and history over time (chronopolitics). By presenting the work of performers, poets, enthusiasts, and artists, the many-faced god·dess is pervaded by fictitious, historical, and contemporary characters, plays of masks, and future performances, which affirm the multiplicity of our affiliations, the impermanence of our identities, and the power of our transformations.
 

photo credits: Aurélien Mole
graphic design: Roxanne Maillet

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This project is made possible thanks to the curatorial residency of Maison populaire, with the support of Ministère de la Culture - DRAC Île-de-France, Conseil régional d’Île-de-France, Conseil départemental de la Seine-Saint-Denis, Ville de Montreuil, CNC - Dicréam and Fluxus Art Projects.