Armed Disposal: Virtual Gallery Visit with the Exhibition Curators

You are invited to join arts-based social networking community, Women of Culture, for a guided virtual gallery visit of Armed Disposal, led by Celine Mo, Managing Director of Victori + Mo, and Artist & Curator, Katrina Majkut.

This timely exhibit highlights the rampant consumerism of weapons in the United States and questions the link between gun ownership and the effectiveness of American civilians to defend themselves. The recent murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia is another tragic example of this correlation and emphasizes a disturbing pattern of violence associated with guns.

The artists presented in this exhibition use unorthodox and demanding mediums to depict America’s obsession with weapons and protection while metaphorically debunking the American myth that violent tools prevent a violent future.

The gender-inclusive event is a unique opportunity to behind-the-scenes look at the exhibit, learn more about the artists featured and also gain a better understanding of how gallerists and curators work together to present group shows like this one , whether online or in-person.

Also, a portion of all ticket sales will be donated to Gays Against Guns, an inclusive direct action group of LGBTQ people and their allies committed to nonviolently breaking the gun industry’s chain of death—investors, manufacturers, the NRA and politicians who block safer gun laws.

We are asking for a minimum $5 donation, with a limited number of comp tickets available to those who have been financially impacted by COVID-19. All registrants will receive a zoom link a day before the session, as well as a recording after the session ends.

Details:

7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) | Welcome & community connections

7:20-8:30pm ET (4:20pm PT) | Virtual exhibit ‘walk-through’, Q&A and discussion

***

More about Armed Disposal:

Deeply rooted in paranoia, anger and insecurity while enhanced by a maximalist consumer culture, gun ownership represents a longing for power and control over the unknown. With nearly 40,000 gun-related deaths in 2017 (Pew Research, 2019) and the number of guns (393 million) outnumbering the population (326 million) (The Small Arms Survey, 2019), America is reaching a tipping point of whether or not the constitutional right to bear arms is accomplishing its original intention.

The heavy inclusion of textile works, a stereotypically feminine and domestic medium, breathe life into the “hard” and “masculine” objects that are depicted. This textural contradiction references the bodies directly affected to address the human death toll that is often ignored among gun advocates who are adamant on defending the 2nd Amendment. Similarly, the use of gun shells and bulletproof vests are transformed into objects of expression giving them a new purpose and relinquishing them of their potential for destruction.

Armed Disposal analyzes the causes, effects and after-effects of gun culture and how and why it has permeated our daily lives while also shifting our understanding of materiality and purpose. More importantly, this exhibition offers critical perspectives on the how viewers can empathetically and constructively engage with the health epidemic issue of American gun violence with the intention of creating change.

This exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Ahmaud Arbery and those lost to gun violence.

***

More about Vitori + Mo:

VICTORI + MO is a contemporary art space dedicated to developing and presenting emerging artists. Since its inception in 2014, the space has been intrinsic to experimentation, working collaboratively with artists to realize novel and ambitious projects outside their typical realm. In addition to nurturing artists and mounting exhibitions, the space also functions as a center for rigorous intellectual exchange, hosting dialogues, lectures, and other community activities.

***

More about Katrina Majkut:

Katrina Majkut (My’kut) is a visual artist and writer living and working in Brooklyn, New York. She is dedicated to exploring and understanding how social traditions impact civil rights. Majkut’s research and findings are represented in her writing and through mediums such as embroidery and painting. Majkut published her first non-fiction book, The Adventures and Discoveries of a Feminist Bride: What No One Tells You Before You Say ‘I Do’ with Black Rose Writing in March 2018. The book examines Western wedding traditions with feminism, humor and self-deprecating anecdotes.