Bennett, A et al 2017, ‘Muliebrity: the female gaze’, Hidden Agenda: An exploration of hidden and suppressed gender worlds, Trocadero Artspace, 22 February – 10 March 2017. Megan Beckwith Bubble performance at opening 22 February with sound by Greg Penn & performance readings by video subjects 3pm Friday 3 February.
Muliebrity was commissioned by Kingston Arts for the Midsumma Festival 2017
Do you assume that everyone you meet is heterosexual, unless they “look queer”? In a new video work titled ‘muliebrity’ commissioned by Kingston Arts, artist Alison Bennett reflected on the identity presentation of queer women who emphasise their femininity.
“The word ‘muliebrity’ means ‘female qualities’. The exhibition features a new video work that reflects on feminine identity expression by queer women that I know. It is somewhat of a stereotype that lesbians and queer women express their gender identity in what might be considered as androgynous, masculine or butch. But there are also those that feel most authentic when they express their gender in more traditionally feminine ways. The paradox is that those women are often ‘read’ as heterosexual – so whilst their femininity is visible in the way that their identity is reflected, their queerness is invisible. The work is an encounter with a series of faces that might provoke the viewer to reflect on how they read identity presentation.”
Alison Bennett 