mca and feminist theory

i learned the following things about giving tours to students at the MCA during my training for the "This will have been: Art, Love, & Politics in the 80's". it is important to note that about 1/2 of our tour/training consisted of a discussion around how this show reflects feminist issues - i.e., that gender is not in-born and the "male gaze." also, each gallery is 'themed' - one of the themes is Gender Trouble - after Judith Butler's book.

- bringing your tour group to or past naked women is ok
- bringing your tour group to or past a naked man is not allowed
- bringing your tour group past an image of a lynch black man must be done with caution
- these directions seem to be dictated from top-down  ("a long standing point of contention [at the MCA]")

Jimmie Durham - Self Portrait (mixed media) 1986 [not ok]

Robert Mapplethorpe - Man in Polyester Suit (gelatin silver print) c. 1980 [not ok]

Robert Colescott - At the Bathers Pool (Venus is still Venus) (acrylic on canvas) 1985 [ok]

Martin Kippenberger - Put your freedom in the corner, save it for a rainy day (wood, ceramic, Robert Gober wallpaper) 1990 [touchy]

*Subsequently, half of this exhibition will not be accessible on artist-lead tours.