The line
between Art and Life for ManWoman
(February 2, 1938 – November 13, 2012) was thin,
brilliantly colored and drawn with expertise. He
embraced his calling as an artist, an activist, a
writer and - it must be said - as a performer. He
was known to dress in yellow, drove a yellow van and
a yellow Cadillac convertible, championing the good
and eschewing misrepresentation. He had a third eye
tattooed on his forehead and his body covered in
over 200 renditions of the swastika, reclaimed from
indigenous and religious cultures. He worked at
banishing the stigma that the symbol had acquired
since The Holocaust while maintaining to advocate
against all the evil that image had born under
Hitler. Needless to say, he got into trouble for his
views but throughout his career, he managed to
impart an extreme positivity.
This is not the first time Manwoman’s work
has been in
Vernon. He had a show at the
first Headbones Gallery in the 90’s when he
delivered his large pop paintings in his yellow van.
He returned for the first Headbones Fashion Show
where his yellow suit with flying hearts was
modelled. His works have been in the Headbones
Drawers and shown in our exhibitions both here and
in Toronto.
This is the first time that such a quantity of his
silk screen prints have been shown together and is
the most comprehensive as some editions have been
sold out and are no longer available.
The exhibition,
consisting of sixty-six silk screened editions and
three paintings, bears testimony to an artist
whose skill was exemplary. The clarity and depth of
color is profound, his registration meticulous, and
his imagery articulate and often humorous. ManWoman
died at 74 in his home-town of Cranbrook, surrounded by his works and
artifacts and leaving behind children and
grandchildren. Loved by many, respected and
befriended by even more his work was fueled by
visions, inspired by religions, as creative as the
hours of the day allowed – his work speaks for him
now.
Flyfoot Press published three books by
ManWoman that will also be available at Headbones
Gallery – Homesick for Eternity: ManWoman
Autobiography, Gentle Swastika: Reclaiming the
Innocence, and Midnight Freak Show: Poetry,
Art and Dangerous Mysticism.
During the run of the exhibition, October 17
to November 28, the gallery is open by appointment,
12 – 5 PM Tuesday through Saturday by calling
250-542-8987.The opening reception will be held
outdoors and with ten people, masked, allowed in the
gallery at a time on Saturday October 17 between
noon and five. ManWoman’s widow, Estarte, will be in
attendance.
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