In the Spring of 2019, Maryland Institute College of Art’s (MICA) Exhibition Development Seminar (EDS) presented historically hysterical, a show featuring artists who reject the coercive hierarchy of gender roles in order to smash the patriarchy. Created by a class of twelve women curators, the exhibition used installation, performance, photography, and mixed media fiber works—all created by contemporary women artists—to transform three floors of Baltimore’s historic Peale Center. The show opened with a public reception on April 11, 2019 that included live performances by artist Verónica Casado Hernández and Baltimore feminist hardcore punk band War on Women.
“it's like suddenly in the middle ages, people figured men should be in charge of women's bodies since they were in charge of pretty much everything else.”
—inga musico, cunt: a declaration of independence
for historically hysterical, the twelve women curators in mica’s exhibition development seminar (eds) reject the hierarchy of gender roles and take back men’s claims over women’s bodies. stretching across three floors of baltimore’s peale center, the show invites artists from diverse backgrounds to reclaim processes known as “women’s work” and bring them into the present. the resulting installations, performances, and works in photography and fibers redefine the conversation around contemporary feminine identity.
historically hysterical reflects the spirit of anarcha-feminism, an ideology that rejects traditional power relationships and demands horizontalism, equity, and free association. the curators present this perspective as a radical approach to the fight for gender equality.
following 2018, “the year of the woman”—a title previously used in 1992 when anita hill testified against then-supreme court nominee clarence thomas—we continue to hear echoes of women’s marches, the revelations of the #metoo movement, and the voices of the 102 women who have joined the house of representatives.
as we note past struggles, we see the present as a time for reclamation. by occupying, reimagining, and reconstructing the peale—the first purpose-built museum in the u.s., established by men to advance their ideas of art, science, and culture—the curators aim to bring the equitable distribution of power into reality.
through the artworks on view, the interactive hysteria room, and the anarcha-feminist texts inserted into the peale’s first floor history exhibit, the ideas of rembrandt peale are acknowledged, reconsidered, and possibly ignored. men may still be in charge of “pretty much everything else,” but historically hysterical invites the viewer to feel the power of the future, be inspired, and be liberated.
—inga musico, cunt: a declaration of independence
for historically hysterical, the twelve women curators in mica’s exhibition development seminar (eds) reject the hierarchy of gender roles and take back men’s claims over women’s bodies. stretching across three floors of baltimore’s peale center, the show invites artists from diverse backgrounds to reclaim processes known as “women’s work” and bring them into the present. the resulting installations, performances, and works in photography and fibers redefine the conversation around contemporary feminine identity.
historically hysterical reflects the spirit of anarcha-feminism, an ideology that rejects traditional power relationships and demands horizontalism, equity, and free association. the curators present this perspective as a radical approach to the fight for gender equality.
following 2018, “the year of the woman”—a title previously used in 1992 when anita hill testified against then-supreme court nominee clarence thomas—we continue to hear echoes of women’s marches, the revelations of the #metoo movement, and the voices of the 102 women who have joined the house of representatives.
as we note past struggles, we see the present as a time for reclamation. by occupying, reimagining, and reconstructing the peale—the first purpose-built museum in the u.s., established by men to advance their ideas of art, science, and culture—the curators aim to bring the equitable distribution of power into reality.
through the artworks on view, the interactive hysteria room, and the anarcha-feminist texts inserted into the peale’s first floor history exhibit, the ideas of rembrandt peale are acknowledged, reconsidered, and possibly ignored. men may still be in charge of “pretty much everything else,” but historically hysterical invites the viewer to feel the power of the future, be inspired, and be liberated.
The Class: Hannah Ahn, Andrea Alvarado-Sierra, Yun Jung, Miry Kim, Deyane Moses, Agnes Oh, Isabel Pardo, Chloe Phan, Victoria Schultz, Hanul Song, Lily Wilkins, Rivers Zhu
Professor: Jeffry Cudlin
Graduate Teaching Intern: Rodrigo Carazas
Advisors and Guests: Paul Farber, Nicholas Rodriguez-Melo, Natalie Musteata, Gregory Sholette, Aram Han Sifuentes
Professor: Jeffry Cudlin
Graduate Teaching Intern: Rodrigo Carazas
Advisors and Guests: Paul Farber, Nicholas Rodriguez-Melo, Natalie Musteata, Gregory Sholette, Aram Han Sifuentes
