Esthetic Theory at Girls’ Club Annex

On View May 27 - 30, 2015

Girls’ Club presents a Esthetic Theory, a guest exhibit curated by artist Rosemarie Romero, in the Girls’ Club Annex Space.

Esthetic Theory is a group exhibition that functions like a full service salon and spa. The exhibit consists of artists whose work explores the high impact, glossy and glittery materials, forms, and processes that evoke and celebrate feminine excess, pleasure, cosmetic artifice, bodywork, sexuality, and the performativity of gender.

'Low' culture aesthetic practices, 'high art' conventions, and spiritual signifiers are appropriated and manipulated to create hybrid works that blur the line between art commodity, fetish objects, craft, kitsch, fashion, entertainment and gendered extensions of the body.

Artwork by local and national artists Sarah Beth Woods, Helen Maurene Cooper, Orlando Estrada, Crystal Pearl, Rosemarie Romero, and Jill Weisberg. Sarah Beth Woods creates hair braided loofah sculptures that explore gender performativity and sensuality. Helen Maurene Cooper" explores pattern and design through wallpaper instillation; with her original nail photographs (collaboration Naughty Nailz and Naillicious) as source material she has created a site specific custom nail wallpaper. Orlando Estrada creates sculpture, and works with massage and healing crystals as a method of exploration into body work and LGBTQ issues. Crystal Pearl makes video art that delves into Latina subjectivity and embodiment via fashion, pleasure, and excess. Jill Weisberg uses nail polish on vintage adult magazine pages that blurs between figuration and abstraction, repulsion and desire.

A Saturday reception will be held on May 30 from 6-9pm featuring live performance and interactive elements. Appointments will be on a first come first serve basis and include custom nail Art by Glynnus Nail Pro and Porn Nail$. Coffee and snacks from Colada Cuban Coffee House & Eatery.

Featured image: Helen Maurene Cooper, Detail, Ombre inlay for All that Glitters, Inkjet wallpaper print, 2015