[synonym] session x Femme

This [synonym] session is looking at...

FEMME gallery presents their latest curatorial project My Fierce Aunt Bianca. The exhibition by artist María José Maldonado traces the life and legacy of her aunt, Bianca “Exotica” Maldonado (1965–1996). Bianca was a ’90s daytime television starlet, dominatrix, iconic figure of New York City’s club scene, and so much more. Sadly, Bianca’s life was cut short by AIDS and government neglect—she passed 12 days before her 31st birthday. Through archival fragments, moving image, and acts of remembrance, the exhibition celebrates Bianca, seeking to recuperate her story, writing her into transgender history through a mode of trans temporal care.

The exhibition is grounded in María José’s practice as a queer Salvadorian-Ecuadorian filmmaker and writer. Her work affirms transness as a vital part of family legacy. They actively participate in all of their documentaries, bringing femininity, tenderness, and a deep sense of intimacy in the stories they tell.

My Fierce Aunt Bianca is both a personal vow and a political commitment, what María José describes as her life’s duty to keep Bianca’s story alive.

_________________________

About FEMME

FEMME is a curatorial platform based in Glasgow dedicated to advancing critical studies through visual art and curatorial practice. It prioritizes collaborative research and fluid approaches, using queer, trans*, feminist, and DIY methods, positioning curatorial work as a transformative practice that moves beyond representation, seeking to challenge linear and normative narratives. FEMME seeks to explore the intersections of art, scholarship, and activism.

_________________________

About GalBag

Come write with us!

As much as attending exhibitions individually can be fulfilling and self-thought-provoking, we are looking to create a group in which we can share our writings thoughts and ideas, together. Opening a dialogue between like-minded people.

[synonym] session is a facilitated group run by us @gallery_bagging (A-J Reynolds and Eliza Coulson) to create a setting to help initiate writing, conversation and community through art and exhibitions. If you're looking to attend and write about exhibitions with others this is for you.

Bring along a notebook, a pen and yourself and get involved with a series of writing prompts within an exhibition setting, chosen each month, to spark interesting conversation and thoughts on topics at hand.

Each session will be 2-hours, during which we will meet at the venue, introduce ourselves, spend time writing alone and then together and perhaps sit down somewhere for a cup of tea for further discussion.

All are welcome, we aim for this workshop to be casual and we aim for this group to give space for all voices, expertise and experiences and very much encourage people who wish to also develop their writing, however, previous art writing is not essential.

_________________________

Please contact us by emailing info@gallerybagging.co.uk for any enquiries about this event.