Shonagh Adelman

3 January 1991 - 2 February 1991
Opening Reception 3 January 1991 8pm

East Gallery:

Larger Than Life

The women in Shonagh Adelman’s larger than life portraits are more than the labels given them: “femme,” “smart,” “special,” “fatale.” They may be frozen-like figures in a wax museum forced to adopt the limited roles of characters in a B movie, but their sheer visual presence belies the definitions ascribed to them. Adelman’s ironic use of culturally acceptable female labels reveals the dichotomy between the reality of individual women and the roles they are offered. The epic scale of the work plays with notions of iconic portraiture, but these icons shake our faith in the wisdom of the patriarchal canon.

Toronto artist Shonagh Adelman has participated in group shows at A Space, Gallery 76, the Art Institute of Chicago and Saw Gallery, Ottawa. Her solo exhibitions include the National Theatre, San Jose, Costa Rica; Forest City Gallery, London, Ontario; and YYZ.