Reception and Film Screening

The McMaster Museum of Art invites you to celebrate The Clichettes: Lips, Wigs, and Politics at a reception on September 19, 5 – 8pm and a film screening/panel talk on September 20, 12 – 2pm with Maya Ben David and Syreeta Hector.

Image courtesy of The Clichettes.

The Clichettes: Lips, Wigs, and Politics

Curated by Ivana Dizdar
May 21 – November 22, 2024
Reception: Thursday, September 19, 5 – 8pm (remarks at 6pm)
McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton

Bridging theatre, lip-sync, dance, drag, costume, and comedy, the renowned Canadian artist trio The Clichettes developed a groundbreaking practice at the crossroads of performance art and feminist satire. This exhibition focuses on The Clichettes’ collaboration from 1978 to 1993, when Louise Garfield, Janice Hladki, and Johanna Householder performed to fervent audiences in Toronto and internationally, animating galleries, bars, cabarets, concert halls, festivals, benefit, rallies, and the streets.

An opening reception for The Clichettes: Lips, Wigs, and Politics will be hosted at the M(M)A on Thursday, September 19, 5 – 8pm (remarks at 6pm). The reception will also mark the launch of a new, fully-illustration publication about The Clichettes, with essays by Ivana Dizdar, Marni Jackson, John Greyson, Alexandra Schwartz, Mark Kingwell, rl Goldberg, Lillian Allen, and Wanda Nanibush. Join us – everyone is welcome!

Curatorial support, digitization and restoration provided by VTape.

The Clichettes: Trending in the 2020s
In conversation with Maya Ben David & Syreeta Hector

Film Screening & Panel Talk: Friday, September 20, 12 – 2pm
McMaster Concert Hall, inside L.R. Wilson Hall

Please join us for a film screening and panel talk featuring two contemporary video responses to the work of renowned Canadian artist trio The Clichettes. After the screening, exhibition curator Ivana Dizdar will be joined by a member of The Clichettes, Johanna Householder, and the presenting video artists Syreeta Hector and Maya Ben David for a discussion about their work.

Featured films:

Still from The Fiberglass Clown by Maya Ben David

The Fiberglass Clown
Filmed, edited, directed and acted by Maya Ben David

Who guards and champions your half-finished projects abandoned to the art pound? Who collects and archives your boils and biopsies with studious excitement? The Fiberglass Clown does. You might not like her, but she is a necessary resource.

Still from Motherhood, Dollhood in the Neighbourhood by Syreeta Hector

Motherhood, Dollhood in the Neighbourhood
Created by Syreeta Hector

Motherhood, Dollhood in the Neighbourhood is inspired by The Clichettes’ comedic voice and playful physicality. This film expresses the joys and challenges of motherhood, home and work life balance, and the embracing of family members/items.

About McMaster Museum of Art

The McMaster Museum of Art is a meeting space for both the University campus and the community situated within the traditional territories of the Mississauga and the Haudenosaunee nations. The M(M)A engages and inspires through arts presentation and promotion, as well as by: growing an awareness of the interconnectivity of the past, present and future; advancing de-colonization; engaging in innovative and imaginative research; dismantling institutional and ideological boundaries; partnering and collaborating with intentionality; diversifying the collection; and building capacity.

McMaster Museum of Art
Alvin A. Lee Building
McMaster University
1280 Main St W
Hamilton, ON L8S 4L6
905.525.9140 x.23241

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Hours
Tuesday: 11am – 5pm
Wednesday: 11am – 5pm
Thursday: 11am – 7pm
Friday: 11am – 5pm
Saturday – Monday: Closed

Admission is always free, and everyone is welcome.

For more information please contact:
Elyse Vickers
Communications Officer, McMaster Museum of Art
museum@mcmaster.ca