DRAG


This group concerns the practice of imitation, and therefore indicates a shifting attention from self to other. Some of the works in this group represent drag in the conventional sense as a kind of playful costuming in which gender is exaggerated or reversed.

Instead of simply representing a parody of gender norms, other artists create works that also question the sincerity or "naturalness" of the art object itself. For example, Robert Gober's Plywood--a finely crafted, hand-made imitation of an industrially produced building material--functions both in the tradition of trompe l'oeil painting--in which artists attempted to paint so realisticall as to "fool the eye"--while also suggesting an attempt literally to fabricate an experience of masculinity.


Deborah Kass
Double Blue Barbra, 1992
Acrylic on canvas
45x72"
Lent by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

General Idea
The Artist's Conception: Miss General Idea, 1971, 1971
Screenprint on latex
40x26"
Courtesy General Idea

Nan Goldin, United States, born 1953, David at Grove Street, Boston 1972, 1972, Black and white photograph, 18-3/4 x 12-5/8", Gift of the artist

Robert Gober, United States, born 1954, Plywood, 1987, Laminated fir, 95-1/4 x 46-1/2 x 5/8", Lent by Andrew Ong

Robert Morris, United States, born 1931, Poster for Voice, 1974, Offset lithography on paper, 36 x 24", Lent by Michael T. Gibbons and Karen S. Conrad

Amy Adler, United States, born 1966, After Sherrie Levine, 1994, Photograph (unique print), 27 x 20", Courtesy of the artist and the TRI Gallery

Judie Bamber, United States, born 1961, Why Are You Looking at Me Like That?, 1991, Graphite on paper, 28-1/2 x 28-1/2", Lent by Tony Payne

Sherrie Levine, United States, born 1947, After Walker Evans: Negative, #4, 1989, Photograph, wood frame, 20 x 16", Lent by Councilman Joel Wachs

Marcel Duchamp, France, 1887-1968, Belle haleine, eau de violette from Boite, 1921-1966, Offset lithograph, 14-3/8 x 9-7/8", Purchase made possible by a bequest from Therese Bonney, Class of 1916, 1993.27

Marcel Duchamp, France, 1887-1968, L.H.O.O.Q., from Boite, 1919-1966, Colotype, 7-5/8 x 4-3/4", Purchase made possible by a bequest from Therese Bonney, Class of 1916, 1993.27

Vito Acconci, United States, born 1940, Conversions Part III (Associations, Assistance, Dependence), 1971, Black and white photographs with handwritten text, 30 x 40", Courtesy Barbara Gladstone Gallery

Christopher Makos, United States, born 1948, Altered Image, 1982, Three silver prints, 20 x 16", Courtesy Govinda Gallery

Lynda Benglis, United States, born 1941, Invitation to exhibition at The Clock Tower, New York, 6 December 1973 - 20 January 1974, Black and white announcement card, Courtesy of the artist

Lynda Benglis, United States, born 1941, Invitation to exhibition at Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 4-19 May 1974, Color announcement card, 2-sided, 10 x 6-3/4", Courtesy of the artist

Lynda Benglis, United States, born 1941, Advertisement in ARTFORUM, November 1974, Magazine, 10-1/2 x 10-1/2" (closed), Courtesy Paula Cooper Gallery

SISTER!, Spring 1990, 'Zine, Private collection


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