Camp Fires: The Queer Baroque of Léopold L. Foulem, Paul Mathieu, and Richard Milette is a beautifully presented retrospective of three significant contributors to queer ceramic art. The amount of work on display at SMU Gallery is overwhelming, and combined with the detail in each of the pieces, an attentive viewer will have to dedicate some serious time to fully appreciate it. Block out an afternoon, because you can’t see this exhibition on a coffee break. 
Léopold L. Foulem, Reliquary
The work is physical and rooted in a hands-on process of making. The objects are lush, intricate, and playful: crystals shower up out of an upstanding dick, a tea set brings to mind a BDSM version of Méret Oppenheim, and a reliquary with an image of Jesus on the cross reads “I ♥ My Daddy.” The artists subvert patriarchal symbology by teasing out the latent homoeroticism embedded in images of Mounties, Catholic priests, and even Colonel Sanders.
At the beginning of the exhibition catalogue, the question of whether a younger generation of viewers will find this work politically potent or simply a reminder of “bad times for gays” is raised. Unfortunately, it is in many ways still controversial. While the notion of homosexuality as criminal behaviour is beyond my comprehension, I am sadly aware of the blatant homophobia that runs through our culture. Perhaps this exhibition will one day be considered innocuous and simply a footnote in a long, strange history of human sexuality. Until then, it will continue to challenge conventions.
SMU Art Gallery: http://www.smu.ca/campus-life/art-exhibitions.html
Camp Fires: The Queer Baroque of Léopold L. Foulem, Paul Mathieu and Richard Milette continues until November 30.
Daniel Higham works in a butcher shop where he’ll talk to you about art, food, and life. Daniel writes for Visual Arts News and is Akimblog’s Halifax correspondent. He can be followed on Twitter @highamdaniel.
↧
Camp Fires at SMU Art Gallery
↧