The Society of Northern Alberta Print-Artists is proud to present Sissies and Psychopaths, a joint exhibition by Canadian artists Peter Kingstone and Daryl Vocat. The exhibit will run from April 4th to May 11th, in the Edmonton-based SNAP gallery.
Kingstone and Vocat are excited to be showing in Edmonton. Both artists have had shows previously in the capital city; Peter Kingstone showed 100 Stories About My Grandmother while Vocat showed The Secret Midnight Shadow, both at Latitude 53 in 2009.
Sissies and Psychopaths answers the question, "what was gay like when I was 5?" It has been a well-received exhibition, and popular with the LGBT community for its groundbreaking elements.
Sissies and Psychopaths was first shown in Hamilton, and Toronto.
This show is the first time the two talents have worked together, even though over the years, each has appeared in the other’s work. Their work is a unique twist on images from the past, recycled and brought to life with a new energy and message; imagery from children’s pop icons such as He-Man, Tom Selleck, and classic green army figurines - to name a few.
Kingstone describes the show as being about a conversation - one that both artists invite the audience to be a part of.
"By using found images and ideas from childhood we are talking about what it means for us to be queer - or in a way how we discovered ourselves as queer", states Kingstone.
This will encourage the audience to examine their own constructions of identity, to reevaluate how they view themselves, their role in society, and how they view the rest of society.
"This does not mean that the show relates only to a queer audience," he says. The fact that the show has been taken by SNAP Gallery demonstrates it is for everyone. Kingstone shares his wisdom, and how he sees the world: being queer is a privilege, allowing one to look at the world from a different perspective.
The show is broken down into three parts: 11 joint prints, 3 videos, and 20 solo prints. The joint prints were created using a rather unique method, developed through conversations, mostly via email as the artists were in separate towns. The conversations were only through images, starting with the question, "What was gay like when I was five?"
The videos are solely by Peter Kingstone, and are further discussions on construction of identity, made from television, movies and news. These videos address the sexuality of characters in the media such as Jeffrey Dahmer, and Freddie Mercury. Daryl Vocat’s solo print are a series of etchings demonstrating a refreshingly queer look at familiar imagery from art history; in particular Goya’s Disasters of War. Both artists find it difficult to choose a favourite, stating the imagery works together as a whole.
The artists have made it their mission to use their personal experience in life and share their interpretations of their experiences through art. "Being queer men we want to offer a different narrative to both LGBT and non-LGBT communities."