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News from our site on the interwebs you may have missed You need more masks in your life — for art this time
pageant contestant who fears life might actually be worse once she returns home from the competition; and Jennifer Hosten (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the lovely Miss Grenada contestant who might be the right amount of naïve to make it far into the pageant. Rhys Ifans and Keeley Hawes play married pageant showrunners Eric & Julia Morley, and Bob Hope and his wife Dolores even appear in the cast portrayed by Greg Kinnear and Lesley Manville.
Eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that we’re sick of wearing masks everywhere. But as far as we can tell, they’re still very necessary and not going anywhere anytime soon. So we might as well have fun with them and use them as vehicles for self-expression. That’s the idea, at least, behind the “Mask” exhibition at the Vicki Myrhen Gallery at the University of Denver. The exhibit features the work of 41 artists representing a range of disciplines — all of whom are putting their messages where their mouth is, so to speak. When it comes to pieces that are simple but chock full of meaning, our favorite is probably Michael Espinoza’s “How to Survive a Plague.” The mask is made from condom wrappers, drawing a direct comparison between the current epidemic and the HIV/AIDS epidemic (which, come to think of it, is also still a current epidemic). On a purely playful aesthetic level, we love Christina Rodo’s “Covidus,” which takes the form of a wool octopus that has attached itself to the wearer’s face. Combine it with Felicia’s Murray’s “Our Dying Reefs,” a felt mask depicting coral that covers not just the lower face but also the left shoulder, and you’ve got a whole aquatic theme going on. Liz Sexton’s “Porcupinefish” also represents the sea — this exhibition in Denver sure does showcase a lot of oceanic art — but the giant papier-mache puffer might strain the definition of what makes something a “mask,” covering the entire head like a helmet. (We’re also just a tiny bit weirded out by the fact that “Octomask,” by Heather Cox, also takes the form of a mouth-bound octopus wrapped around a head. Y’all have some tentacle-based issues to deal with.)
All of their story arcs intersect as Sally, Jo and their fellow Women’s Liberation supporters secretly show up at the televised pageant to make their own live demonstration.
Courtesy of the Vicki Myhren Gallery
»» Tracy Tomko’s “BYOO (Bring Your Own Courtesy of the Vicki Myhren Gallery
»» Christina Rodo’s “Covidus” is made
Oxygen)” is made from plastic, foam, elastic, and glue.
from wet and needle-felted wool.
inside descend from the mouth-covering. Perhaps the simplest, though, is “Mouthpiece” by Tobias Fike. Beyond the mouth part of the mask, it is just an unadorned, megaphone-shaped cone. We’re pretty sure everyone can hear the message the artist is trying to convey with it loud and clear.
of film feminism
The term ‘girl power’ has always done more for news sound bites and the pop culture zeitgeist than for any actual history of feminism. That’s because it’s a lot easier to market off the Spice Girls and Buffy Summers for press than it is feminist celebrities like Gloria Steinem or Kathleen Hanna. Phillipa Lowthorpe’s If you find yourself in Denver on a new ensemble biopic “Misbehaviour” weekend afternoon in the next month, that’s the time to visit the exhibition. Af- tries to mesh both the fun of girl power ter all, that’s the only time you can. Add- with the seriousness of feminism to mixed results. The British produced ing an extra degree of synchronicity to the exhibit is the fact that during the rest feature was originally released in the UK theaters way back in March (the very of the week, the gallery is being used as same week the pandemic broke through extra socially-distanced classroom space interestingly enough) but is just now for the university. making its way to the US via VOD. The “Mask” exhibition continues Some of the masks are deadly serious The comedy-drama follows the events — “Incalculable Loss” is made from hospi- through Dec. 1. Admission is free, but leading up to the 1970 Miss World beautal tags bearing the names and locations advance appointments are required to ty pageant in London, England through facilitate COVID safety practices. If you of Americans killed by COVID-19. Oththe eyes of many real-life based charers force levity as blatantly as possible — can’t make it to Denver but you’re still acters. There’s Sally Alexander (Keira interested, the gallery is hosting a virtual Scott Burgees’ “For the Unseen Smiles” Knightley), the no-nonsense divorced artist panel discussion at 5 p.m. on Nov. is adorned with a bunch of plastic cresmother trying to get back into univer5. cents representing the smiles we can’t sity for her career; Jo Robinson (Jessie see on our masked neighbors these days. —— Nick Gonzales Buckley), the radical former art school “BYOO (Bring Your Own Oxygen)” by student who thinks being loud is the only Tracy Tomko has a sci-fi aspect to it, as way to send a message; Pearl Jansen The somber, necessary tenets (Loreece Harrison), the South African two vaguely bong-like tubes with plants 4 | Thursday, November 5, 2020
“Misbehaviour” was scripted by Rebecca Frayn and Gaby Chiappe, but with how their names are listed in the credits, I have to wonder if the original screenplay was written solely by Frayn and Chiappe or was brought in later for rewrites. Though the reception for the movie has been mostly decent, there have been some reservations about a few things. One is that the story is too serious and important for the lighter tone Lowthorpe set up with “Misbehaviour”. It’s appropriately somber as the film dives into sexism and racism as themes, but then for the rest of the runtime, we get an uplifting, feel-good atmosphere along the lines of a Penny Marshall hit. For the most part, I personally was fine with the mood Lowthorpe set up, though I can see why some viewers would want a more straight forward piece. The performances are fairly good, especially Mbatha-Raw who practically carries all of the film’s heart on her own. Kinnear’s prosthetics to resemble Hope are a little distracting, though it really looks like he’s putting effort into his portrayal. All in all, I would say “Misbehaviour” probably could have said a little more about intersectionality in feminism, but it’s alright for an enjoyable 105 minutes on screen. —— Megan Bianco
