Join MOCA, the Gardiner, and your fellow members as we sit down (digitally) for an inspiring conversation with artists Athena Papadopoulos and Shary Boyle who will introduce you to their work, which shares themes of feminism, excess and identity.
This event is exclusive to members only.
About the Artists:
Athena Papadopoulos creates richly dense sculptural works that play on stereotypical feminine signs and materials. The fabrication of her sculptures and mise en scenes is akin to the process of self-augmentation--of “dolling” and “dragging” oneself up. They are built up of layers of material excess and superimposed personal and found imagery. Papadopoulos draws from a list of cosmetic and medicinal ingredients, applying items like self-tanner, lipstick and hair dye to further enhance and codify her work within feminine archetypes. With each fold, tuck, wrap and twist, Papadopulos’ meticulously put-together, sleazy productions overturn fixed notions of quality, class and gender. MOCA has commissioned Papadopoulos for a site specific exhibition once reopened.
Shary Boyle works across diverse media, including sculpture, painting, installation and drawing. She is known for her bold, fantastical explorations of the figure. Highly crafted and deeply imaginative, her practice is activated through collaboration and mentorship. Boyle’s work considers the social history of ceramic figurines, animist mythologies and folk art forms to create a symbolic, feminist and politically charged language uniquely her own. Shary Boyle’s public art commission Cracked Wheat was installed August 2018 on the front grounds of the Gardiner Museum in Toronto