A [Lesbian] Body of Work a show of works by Jo Mears
and
It's a D thing

8pm Friday 16 February 2007

The 2007 Auckland Hero Festival saw a new event at MARCO Trust combining art with performance, video, music and a lot of Lesbian history. With Hero traditionally being seen as “more for the boys” it was great to see a girls’ event that was fun and creative.

“A [Lesbian] Body of Work” by Jo Mears was an exciting and innovative show of painted classic mannequins exploring the diversity of Lesbian culture in New Zealand and worldwide. Examining the way in which Lesbians label themselves and also the way they are stereotyped by mainstream society, the work explored historical aspects such as ‘Butch and Femme’ and 1970s feminist activism as well as the diversity of today’s Lesbian community.

The show featured a wide array of identities from “Bull Dyke” to “Lesbian Ski Team girl” (Most fun you’ll have going down(!)), from Superman inspired “Super Dyke” to queer icon “Xena Warrior Princess” with many pieces creating humorous plays on contemporary branding. “Real Butch”, in Red Bull branding, was complete with head to head fists instead of bulls and with the artist’s careful attention to detail affording her a “safe-fisting” bandana in her right back pocket.

The mannequins used were all torso-only 1960s style fibre-glass and wood. Although they had no head, arms or legs, Jo Mears, through her clever representation of iconic clothing and accessories, imbued a personality into each and every one of them. She even put the mannequins on plinths of differing heights so that, en mass, they suggested a realistic mix of women.

As a backdrop to the mannequins, we were treated to “It’s a D thing” – a lively jaunt through Lesbian history. First, one could reminisce in the Foyer at “Remember This One?”, an exhibition of memorabilia including posters, book covers, magazines, t-shirts and badges exploring Lesbian history from the 1960s to today. There was also an L Word style white board to encourage comments and of course the inevitable map of who’s been with who.

Then once in the spacious MARCO Studio we found ourselves transported through time into three different eras. The “Dirty Thirties Bar” with a low lit 1930s style Butch Femme theme was complete with a puce chaise lounge, a large picture of vampy silent Hollywood star Theda Barra and a black and white video slide show of famous Sapphists from the early 20th century. This rolled through the evening with stills of illustrious Lesbians like Radclyffe Hall and Getrude Stein, Frida Kahlo and NZ dancer Freda Stark, and distinguished dykes Romaine Brooks and Natalie Barney to name but a few.

The Dungaree Bar was an explosion of purple and green – a glittering 1970s Feminist activist den complete with protest banners and placards. The best had to be “F L A P S – Feminist Lesbians Against the Patriarchal System”! These placards were used for the first show – a mock protest march through the space. Gloria Stone’him was on megaphone leading the chant of “Land Rights for Lesbian Whales!”

The third bar was a 1990s / contemporary bar called “The D.SPOT” – a chic and slick space, decorated by a myriad of coloured dildos courtesy of local designer sex gear shop D.VICE and featuring the lair of Madame Lash. She made an appearance halfway through the evening decked out in dominatrix leather and boots, swinging teasingly from cuff-adorned Pilates equipment to the James Bond theme music, for those in the 300-strong crowd who could get close enough to see.

There were two other shows during the evening – a fun and confident drag act to “Don’t Fence me in” and two feminist mannequins coming to life and flirting outrageously to a Dusty Springfield track at the Dungaree Bar. Each bar had its own period appropriate cocktail – a “Marlene Screw” in the 30s bar, a “Vodka Martina” in the 70s and my personal favourite, “Shane on the Beach” in the D.SPOT – a delightful combination with Vodka and Peach Schnapps.

Perhaps one of the highlights of the evening was the dance floor main video screen where VJ Vixen projected a fusion of women-related imagery: from Martina playing tennis to dreamy shots from nature and dancers floating down mountain streams; and sexy lezzie scenes from movies and TV cut with images of fire and fire dancers. This coupled with the great music inspired even the most reticent girls to get up and shake their booties!

All-in-all the event was unique and inspiring but most of all bloody fun! There was a great diversity of women and a smattering of boys and straight people. Most came in costume relating to the different eras and the expressions on people’s faces and their lively interactions spoke volumes about their enthusiasm for the event.

The organisers are promising to do it all again and more next Hero Festival. This time there will be an international flavour. Lesbian artists from other cultures are being sought and the bars will be themed appropriately.

Candy-boi-grl, March 2007

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