We travelled down to Boston to see Mary Goldthwaite Gagne’s show opening at Aviary. Planning on convening at JP Lick’s for a post-viewing discussion on the art we’d seen.
I was blown away by this lovingly-curated collection of feminist heroes — from Abbi & Ilana to Roxane Gay, and including personal friends of the artists. I love that notorious, famous and unknown feminists were all in one place. Oh, hey, and there’s a puppy, too!
One thing I learned in the organization of this event was that it’s not so easy to get many people to hop in a car to Boston on a rainy weekday school night! But I had a blast anyway, and was able to say hello to the artist.
In addition to her amazing show and the lovely pieces in it, we discussed these other upcoming arts and activist events:
Shared Resources from Guided by (Female) Voices
- Broke: the affordable arts & crafts fair — June 9th, Peterborough, NH
- The Thing in the Spring — June 6-10 2018
- Glass Ceiling: Limitless View — Art show coming up at 3S Artspace
Event Information
Guided By (Female) Voices
Works by Mary Goldthwaite-Gagne
Thursday, February 1st
Leaving Portsmouth @ 5:15pm
Gallery opening: 6–9pm at Aviary, 48 South St, Jamaica Plain, MA. Post-art show discussion at J.P. Licks (where there will be ice cream, frozen yogurt and coffee treats).
Your ticket helps cover gas and tolls from Portsmouth>Boston>Portsmouth. Want to be a driver instead? Let us know!
About the art show:
Guided By (Female) Voices
Cut paper works by Mary Goldthwaite-Gagne
On view 2/1/2018 – 2/24/2018
Opening Reception
2/1/2018
6-9PM
Live music and refreshments
Performances by:
- Paige Chaplin — https://paigechaplin.bandcamp.com/
- Jordan Holtz (Rick Rude – Ensemble) — https://rickrude1.bandcamp.com/
- Elisabeth Fuchsia (Footings) — https://footings.bandcamp.com/
Artist Statement:
Guided By (Female) Voices is a kind of self-portrait and acknowledgement of the women I most admire. This body of work began late in 2016 when I was feeling completely inundated with the constant onslaught of negativity that was being directed towards women. I started making cut paper portraits of creative women that I admire: Nancy Spero, Yoko Ono, Zadie Smith, Alma Thomas, The Guerilla Girls. I took 9 of these portraits and made an edition of 50 posters to sell at Broke:The Affordable Arts Fair, which I have been organizing since early 2008. I sold all 50 posters in a day and donated $500 to Planned Parenthood. At the end of the day, something that I made helped me to make a positive action that I could not have otherwise. I have spent 2017 dedicated to making portraits of women whom I admire, and the women who have helped to make me who I am today. As the project has worn on, I have expanded beyond looking solely at the famous artists and writers, and have focused more on celebrating the people in my life who embody qualities that I admire and inspire me.