NEW YORK, NY.- The Locker Room opened the “Prophet of the Month” exhibition running July 12th - August 28th, featuring a body of embroidery work by Alexandria Deters. The show is a joint presentation of two series by Deters: (un)Observed, a series of Playmates and 1970s-era sex symbols, and False Prophets, a series of female cult leaders known for their extremism and authority. In “Prophet of the Month”, these two histories are juxtaposed to explore the ever-present and ever-changing creation of idols, icons, and celebrities in society, and the power they are given. What is the common human impulse that causes us to ‘escape’ by submitting our will to outside forces, whether sexual fantasy, religious experience, or fascist authority? This exhibition highlights women who have been caught in the middle of this dynamic and wielded it to their own benefit, involving themes of feminine sexuality, empowerment, manipulation and corruption.
Artist Statement:
“I consider every human being a 'living archive,' a unique individual that has experiences and stories worthy of deep research and documentation. Through the labor-intensive act of embroidery, I am consciously examining and contemplating the stories of figures in recent history, re-presenting them in a modern context. As a queer, femme artist raised in the religious South, I have an intimate understanding of the base impulses for the religious and sexual, and how these drives have the power to liberate or oppress. My subjects in this series–composed of sex symbols and religious leaders–all have stories intertwined with these two, often overlapping, drives. These are women who have been thrust into the obscure process by which we create icons, idols, and celebrities, and as a result may oscillate between victim, empowered individual, and abuser. The title of this exhibition, “Prophet of the Month,” highlights the manner in which I am honoring and examining the stories of these individuals, while also inviting the audience to reflect on the cyclical, ever-changing nature of these dynamics.”
Alexandria Deters:
Alexandria Deters (b.1992) is a queer femme writer, critic, fine art appraiser, embroidery artist, and archivist based in the Bronx. Her writing and art practice is deeply rooted in sexuality–with nods to the religious and the political–and her continual research on recent historical figures, and the ways we interpret, understand, and remember them. She received her BAs in Art History and Women and Gender Studies from San Francisco State University (2015), and her MA at Sotheby's Institute of Art (2016). She has written for POZ.com, UPMagazine.com, Eazel.net, Cultbytes.com, FilthyDreams.org and other publications. Recent exhibitions include: Every Woman Biennial, Superchief Gallery NFT, NY (2021); We Are More Than A Moment, curated by Genevieve Gaignard, MCLA Gallery 51, MA (2020); Idol Worship, curated by Emily Colucci, Smack Mellon, NY (2019); and MALE GAZE: Life, Legend, Legacy, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, NY (2019), Witches Get Stitches, curated by Katrina Majkut, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, NY, NY (2021) .
