KingDom: Artist Open Call

KINGDOM: The Exhibition 

The Feathers of Daedalus invites artists to submit art works to include in our physical and online exhibition, and short film as part of our ongoing project KingDom, exploring modern day masculinity and what this means to different people. 

What is KingDom? KingDom is a drag king circus collective and we are making a short film and exhibition supported by the Arts Council England. Our  film  examines toxic masculinity and masculine vulnerability and is being made by a team of entirely female or non binary creatives https://www.featherscircus.uk/kingdom The film centres around an art gallery so we are looking for works to include in this cinematic exhibition, which will also be on view to the public, Covid-19 circumstances allowing, in April. We will also publish an online exhibition of submitted works on the launch day of our short film. We are working with a PR company to ensure exposure of both outcomes. 

What are we looking for? The modern man. Does this idea still exist? And if so what does it mean? We want to create an exhibition around works that explore both the wonder and the toxicity of masculinity or the shapes that men leave on the world. How are normative expectations of men and those placed upon them expressed? If we see gender as “performative”, is masculinity an act? Feel free to explore the theme of masculinity in any way that you would like. 

Who can apply? Anyone! Whether you’re a professional artist or someone who just wants to get creative we’d love to hear from you. We will take applications in any medium and from artists of any gender. 

When’s the deadline? 28th February 8pm GMT

How can I apply? Email images of works to malayamey20@gmail.com 

you can submit by Wetransfer or with a downloadable online link. 

Meet the curator: We are delighted to introduce the KingDom exhibition curator Mala Yamey. Mala is a curator, writer and art historian living in London. She is a regular contributor for publications such as La Gazette Drouot in Paris and the Earth Issue in London. As a curator, she collaborates with artists to put together concepts and press releases, and most recently worked with Enya Lachman-Curl on her exhibition DIVE at Lychee One in February 2020. Mala has three years of experience in commercial galleries and auction houses; she recently worked at Lévy Gorvy in London and is now working at Maud & Mabel in Hampstead. She studied a BA in History of Art at the University of Cambridge and an MA at The Courtauld Institute of Art. Mala has just started an MA in Curating Contemporary Art at the Royal College of Art in London.

List of artists included in the mood board is as follows: Clockwise from top left:

Leonor Fini ‘In the Tower’ (1952)

Robert Mapplethorpe ‘Embrace (1982)

Jack Smith ‘Flaming Creatures’ (1963)

Sunil Gupta Untitled #13 (2008) from the series The New Pre-Raphaelites

Claude Cahun (1972)

Alina Szapocznikow ‘Sculpture Lamp (Double Mouth on Phallus)’ (1967-69)

Grayson Perry ‘Death of a Working Hero’ (2016)

Andy Warhol ‘Ladies & Gentlemen’ (1975)

Man Ray ‘Rrose Sélavy’ (1921)

Kehinde Wiley ‘Arms of Nicolas Ruterius, Bishop of Arras’ (2014)

Ana Mendieta ‘Untitled (Facial Hair Transplants)’ (1972)

Sherrie Levine ‘Fountain (After Duchamp)’ (1990)

Bruce Nauman ‘Sex and Death / Double “69”’ (1985)