Le Laboratoire d’Art is pleased to present Raison d’État, a show by Stefan St-Laurent and Mikiki. Collaborating for the first time in a collective show, the artists address two very important issues affecting the LGBT community today: bullying and seropositivity. Each artist is presenting a series of artworks that will interplay in a dialogue about communication, state of being and politics within the walls of Le Labo.
Mikiki is originally from Newfoundland, but currently resides in Toronto. A performance and video artist, an HIV activist, Mikiki puts into perspective the risks and vulnerability to which the LGBT community is exposed. For his exhibition at Le Labo, he will be presenting a new video entitled Premièrement comme tragédie, produced especially for this occasion, where discourse about safe sex takes place between two protagonists, one of them being anglophone and the other one francophone. At one point the roles of the two protagonists reverse while a sex scene unfolds between Mikiki and his partner. This video explores the ideas of exchange, trust and risk within the menace of HIV. This work will be accompanied by a live performance by the artist that will take place during the opening night, which details will be kept secret until the last minute!
Stefan St-Laurent is originally from Moncton but currently resides in Ottawa. His film, video and photography work has been shown in Canada and abroad. For his exhibition at Le Labo, Saint-Laurent will present his new series Bully, inspired of his own experience in high school, that highlights the alarming rates of suicides among young queers. Along with photo and video documentation, this series includes two prototypes, one being a limp-wristed corrector, and the other one being a leather jacket that deepens ones voice whilst being worn. These prototypes address the tools one uses to hide one queer identity because of fear of violence and humiliation.
These two series of work depict a striking portrait of the reality and the challenges faced daily by the LGBT community. These artworks reflect the activist background of the two artists and invite the public authorities to take effective measures. Trudeau claimed in the 1960’ that « there’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation »; nonetheless, the issues raised in this exhibition go way beyond the bedroom and affect the entire society.
Le Labo would like to thank the Ontario Arts Council and Super8 Hotel Downtown Toronto – proud sponsor of Le Labo’s 2010-2011 season – for their valuable support.