Study for Purple Wolf
Terrence Koh
2005
pencil and wax on paper, 9" x 14"
courtesy of Ezra Getzler

The Cowboy and the Pegasus, an exhibition for Queer Fest Midwest

August 25, 2007
Pulaski Field House
Chicago, IL


Curatorial Statement:

Queer does not have gender, age, skin color or sex. As we see it, sex as a subject of many artworks is the product of a stuffy puritan approach to sexuality and physiology in the American culture in general. We take the word queer very liberally and envision an encompassing queer community, a rainbow coalition of diverse voices.

We believe gender and sexuality are temporal and shift throughout our lives. With the exhibition for Queer Fest Midwest we hope to challenge any easy interpretation of sexuality.

The artwork presented in the show “The Cowboy and The Pegasus" does not resolve any contradictions for us but rather pushes us to examine the contradictions and sort them out.

We are honored to display a variety of artists, including Sadie Benning, Bruce La Bruce, Kean O’Brian, Terence Koh and others, whose work paves the way for certain truths. They show us that they dualities of black/white, top/bottom, dominant/submissive, cowboy/cowgirl, blind us to the rich constellations of life.
 
The artist team Superm, a collaboration between Brian Kenny and Slava Mogutin, focuses on humorous, graphic, spontaneous and challenging new ways to face myths and stereotypes. Funny, sexy, ridiculous videos by Latham Zearfoss and Dylan Mira refuse answers and give alternatives instead. In contrast, the self-reflective work of Regina Mamou seems to say there is a lot of suffering in this world and art alone can not change it. But it can help us to live a more active life.

Our task was to make the event different than all others, to confirm that queer is not edgy at all.

documentation of the exhibition:










installation view










installation view










installation view










installation view










Super 8 1/2
Bruce La Bruce
1994
VHS, 94min
collection of the artist










Ryan Revisited & Self Portrait in Chair
Paul Mpagi Sepuya
2007
c-prints, 18" x 24" each
courtesy of Evoy Gallery, NYC










Joshua and Joshua Tree - ATOA
Leah DeVun
2007
c-prints, 20" x 24" each
collection of the artist










Closer Look
Taschka Turnquist
2006
c-prints, 9" x 13" each
collection of the artist










Mother May I
S.I.R.
2007
archival inkjet prints, 10' x 10'
courtesy of the artist










performance by S.I.R.










I Want to Put You On (series)
Sean Fader
2007
archival inkjet prints, 54" x 36" each
collection of the artist










Deep Fry Your Soul
Samia Mirza
2006
stuffed animals, eggs, flour, oil











A Night to Remember
Mark Chamberlain
2006
watercolor on paper, 15" x 17"
collection of Daniel S. Berger, MD

&

Baby Wanna Make Out
Justin Marshall
2007
c-print, 20" x 30"
courtesy of Thomas Robertello Gallery












Shoot No 5 ('zine)
Paul Mpagi Sepuya
2007
laser prints, 5.5" x 4.25"
courtesy of Evoy Gallery, NYC

&

self portrait
Matthew Hilshorst
2007
six plastic tablecloths, 30" x 54"
collection of the artist













Pink, etc.
Zack Stiglicz
2007
Acrylic on Canvas, 48" x 36"
collection of the artist













Wake Up Paperboy!, Pay by Billz Jockstrap Dawgs, Teen Werewolf Workout, Curses, Hexes, & Boots, and Ninja Independence Day
Superm (Slava Mogutin + Brian Kenny)
1999-2005
DVD
collection of the artist

complete list of works:


2D & 3D WORKS

Untitled
Mike Andrews
2006
multimedia works on paper (4), sizes vary
collection of the artist

Untitled
CK Callahan
2007
embossed paper, various sizes
collection of Rejnowska & Polera

A Night to Remember
Mark Chamberlain
2006
watercolor on paper, 15" x 17"
collection of Daniel S. Berger, MD

Joshua
Leah DeVun
c-print, 20" x 24"
collection of the artist

Joshua Tree - ATOA
Leah DeVun
c-print, 20" x 24"
collection of the artist

I Want to Put You On, Gus (with Maxi)
Sean Fader
archival inkjet print, 54" x 36"
collection of the artist

I Want to Put You On
Sean Fader
archival inkject print, 54" x 36"
collection of the artist

self portrait
Matthew Hilshorst
2007
six plastic tablecloths, 30" x 54"

Study for Purple Wolf
Terrence Koh
2005
pencil and wax on paper, 9" x 14"
collection of Ezra Getzler

Baby Wanna Make Out
Justin Marshall
2007
c-print, 20" x 30"
courtesy of Thomas Robertello Gallery

Untitled
Grant Schexnider
2007
oil on canvas
courtesy of Thomas Robertello Gallery

Ryan Revisited
Paul Mpagi Sepuya
2007
c-print, 18" x 14"
courtesy of Evoy Gallery, NYC

Self Portrait in Chair
Paul Mpagi Sepuya
2007
c-print, 18" x 14"
courtesy of Evoy Gallery, NYC

Mother May I
S.I.R.
2007
archival inkjet prints and installation, 10' x 10'
courtesy of the artist

Bear Bare
Zack Stiglicz
2007
acrylic on canvas, 60" x 36"
collection of the artist

Labryinth
Zack Stiglicz
2007
acrylic on canvas, 48" x 36"

Pink, etc.
Zack Stiglicz
2007
acrylic on canvas, 48" x 36"

Three
Zack Stiglicz
2007
acrylic on canvas, 48" x 36"

Untitled (Anus)
Ryan Tacata
2007
fiber
courtesy of Tulip Toy Gallery, Chicago

Closer Look
Taschka Turnquist
2006
c-prints (2), 9" x 13" each
collection of the artist



FILM & VIDEO

Wake Up Paperboy!
Superm (Slava Mogutin + Brian Kenny)
2005
DVD
collection of the artist

Pay My Billz Jockstrap Dawgs
Superm (Slava Mogutin + Brian Kenny)
2005
DVD
collection of the artist

Teen Werewolf Workout
Superm (Slava Mogutin + Brian Kenny)
2005
DVD
collection of the artist

Curses, Hexes, & Boots
Superm (Slava Mogutin + Brian Kenny)
2005
DVD
collection of the artist

Ninja Independence Day
Superm (Slava Mogutin + Brian Kenny)
1999
DVD
collection of the artist

Me and Rubyfruit
Sadie Benning
1990
VHS, 5 min 30 sec
courtesy of Video Databank

Super 8 1/2
Bruce La Bruce
1994
VHS, 94 min
collection of the artist

The Raspberry Reich
Bruce La Bruce
2004
DVD, 90 min
collection of the artist

A Call and An Offering
Dylan Mira and Latham Zearfoss
2006
DVD, 26 min
collection of the artist

Four Way Family Portrait
Latham Zearfoss
2005
DVD, 26 min
collection of the artist

To Have, To Hold, To Violate:
The Making of Amberdoll
Amber Hawk Swanson
2007
DVD, 17 min
collection of the artist

German Song
Sadie Benning
1995
VHS, 5 min
courtesy of Video Databank

Black
Charles Lum
DVD, 5 min
collection of Barbara De Genevieve

Pull
Regina Mamou
2006
DVD, 4 min 10 sec
collection of the artist

I Deserve This
Regina Mamou
2006
DVD, 4 min 9 sec
collection of the artist

Trying to Remember
Regina Mamou
DVD, 5 min 17 sec
collection of the artist

Man Enough
Kean O'Brian
2007
DVD
collection of the artist



PERFORMANCE

S.I.R.

related images:



press coverage of Terrence Koh's Study for Purple Wolf



press coverage of Superm video installation (Brian Kenny and Slava Mogutin)



window display for Queer Fest Midwest at Tulip Toy Gallery by artist Esteban Schimpf



Erik Roldon, the organizer of Queer Fest Midwest



officers German Gomez and Gloria Gomez protected the artworks



part of the team who made the exhibition possible