Wangechi Mutu

Moth Girls, 2010

© Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

Wangechi Mutu, Moth Girls, © Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

© Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

Wangechi Mutu, Moth Girls, © Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

© Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

Wangechi Mutu, Moth Girls, © Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

© Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

Wangechi Mutu, Moth Girls, © Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

© Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

Wangechi Mutu, Moth Girls, © Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

© Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay

Wangechi Mutu, Moth Girls, © Wangechi Mutu • Photo: Richard-Max Tremblay
Artist
Wangechi Mutu
Title
Moth Girls
Dimensions and medium
Various objects and materials, 246 ceramic figurines, leather wings, feathers, paper, and wash, Variable dimensions
Artwork description
Moth Girls reintroduces the notion of taxonomy and the practice of classification and hierarchization of species—and by extension, of people and races—through the recurring motif of a half-human, half-animal feminine hybrid figure. The installation’s configuration evokes a modest classroom setting in an African school. Worked directly into the mural’s surface, reddish areas are carved into the shape of four Kenyan lakes. This elemental relationship to landscapes from the geography of memory reflects the intense introspective power that inhabits the work of Wangechi Mutu. Suggestive of bodily wounds, but also of colonialist appropriation and territorial exploitation, the work skillfully merges poetic symbolism with ethno-political discourse.

See Also

Battements et Papillons, 2006, Piano, bench, aluminum insulating tape, solenoids, motion detectors, relays, microcontrollers, transformers, and various objects.
Jean-Pierre Gauthier, Battements et Papillons, 2006 Battements et Papillons, 2006, Piano, bench, aluminum insulating tape, solenoids, motion detectors, relays, microcontrollers, transformers, and various objects.
still of Remarques sur les couleurs (version française de « Remarks on Color, 1994 »), 1994-1998, Color video, projector, amplified sound system, 49 min, A.P. 1/1.
Gary Hill, Remarques sur les couleurs (version française de « Remarks on Color, 1994 »), 1994-1998 still of Remarques sur les couleurs (version française de « Remarks on Color, 1994 »), 1994-1998, Color video, projector, amplified sound system, 49 min, A.P. 1/1.
La Voie lactée, 1992, Light box, aluminum casing, and inkjet print on translucent canvas, 1/2.
Geneviève Cadieux, La Voie lactée, 1992 La Voie lactée, 1992, Light box, aluminum casing, and inkjet print on translucent canvas, 1/2.
Tous ces visages, 2007-2008, Drawings (coloured pencil, felt pen, and pastel on paper), masks (coloured pencil, felt pen, watercolour, paper, and aluminum tape), polaroid photographs, video, sound, text, and presentation tables.
Raphaëlle de Groot, Tous ces visages, 2007-2008 Tous ces visages, 2007-2008, Drawings (coloured pencil, felt pen, and pastel on paper), masks (coloured pencil, felt pen, watercolour, paper, and aluminum tape), polaroid photographs, video, sound, text, and presentation tables.
detail of Jumbo Spoons and Big Cake, 2000, Mixed media and various materials.
Thomas Hirschhorn, Jumbo Spoons and Big Cake, 2000 detail of Jumbo Spoons and Big Cake, 2000, Mixed media and various materials.
La Nativité, 1995, Waxed plaster, wood, wax, and cow hide.
Gilles Mihalcean, La Nativité, 1995 La Nativité, 1995, Waxed plaster, wood, wax, and cow hide.
The Archives of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, 1992, Metal shelves, 336 cardboard boxes, 336 labels, 196 colour photographs, and 16 electric lamps.
Christian Boltanski, Les Archives du Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, 1992 The Archives of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, 1992, Metal shelves, 336 cardboard boxes, 336 labels, 196 colour photographs, and 16 electric lamps.
Les Tables de sable III (haute, rouge, rompue), 1995, Plywood, wood, acrylic, lacquer, varnish, sand, and 4 silver prints, 1/1.
Jocelyne Alloucherie, Les Tables de sable III (haute, rouge, rompue), 1995 Les Tables de sable III (haute, rouge, rompue), 1995, Plywood, wood, acrylic, lacquer, varnish, sand, and 4 silver prints, 1/1.
detail of Pulse Room, 2006, 300 incandescent light bulbs, voltage controllers, computer, heart rate sensor, and stainless steel structure, 1/1.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Pulse Room, 2006 detail of Pulse Room, 2006, 300 incandescent light bulbs, voltage controllers, computer, heart rate sensor, and stainless steel structure, 1/1.
Village, 2003-2004, Cardboard, newspaper, wood, and halogen bulbs.
Dominique Blain, Village, 2003-2004 Village, 2003-2004, Cardboard, newspaper, wood, and halogen bulbs.
Propos type, 1977, Black and white video, mute, 30 min, television, masking tape, and elastic tape.
Jean-François Cantin, Propos type, 1977 Propos type, 1977, Black and white video, mute, 30 min, television, masking tape, and elastic tape.
A Demonstration, 1981, Wood, particle board, metal, paint, plastic, light bulbs, electrical wiring, and various objects.
Ian Carr-Harris, A Demonstration, 1981 A Demonstration, 1981, Wood, particle board, metal, paint, plastic, light bulbs, electrical wiring, and various objects.
Untitled (Water), 1992, 5 light boxes with colour transparencies and 25 framed mirrors, 2/2.
Alfredo Jaar, Untitled (Water), 1992 Untitled (Water), 1992, 5 light boxes with colour transparencies and 25 framed mirrors, 2/2.
LOVELAND, 2009-2011, HD video, 5 min, sound by Tim Hecker, limited edition of the book « The Purple Cloud » from Matthew Phipps Shiel, and Chatham synthetic emeralds.
Charles Stankievech, LOVELAND, 2009-2011 LOVELAND, 2009-2011, HD video, 5 min, sound by Tim Hecker, limited edition of the book « The Purple Cloud » from Matthew Phipps Shiel, and Chatham synthetic emeralds.
still of True North, 2004, 16 mm black and white and colour film transfered on 2 DVDs, 2 screens, sound, 14 min 20 s, 2/6.
Isaac Julien, True North, 2004 still of True North, 2004, 16 mm black and white and colour film transfered on 2 DVDs, 2 screens, sound, 14 min 20 s, 2/6.
Loading...

Only a part of the collection is currently online and the artworks on display at the MAC are accompanied by the icon

The contents presented in this section are not exhaustive and may be subject to revision. If you have comments to share, or errors to report, please contact us at [email protected].

For information about copyright and intellectual property, or for a reproduction request, see our Terms of Use.