Experience the bold artistry of The Clichettes in their first-ever retrospective, showcasing a vibrant collection that challenges and inspires

The Clichettes, a retired trio of Canadian artists, combine comedy and feminist satire to explore political themes through performance art. The trio was featured in their first retrospective, The Clichettes: Lips, Wigs, and Politics, at the McMaster Museum of Art. This exhibition, curated by Ivana Dizdar, is dedicated to the group's career between 1978 and 1993.

The Clichettes consisted of three women: Louise Garfield, Janice Hladki and Johanna Householder. The group performed shows in theatres and venues across Toronto and internationally. Through a unique blend of humour and political critique, they tackled significant societal issues, using their artistry to advocate for a better future.

On Sept. 19, 2024, the opening reception and publication launch was held at the museum. The opening reception showcased the exhibition which features the many works of The Clichettes including over 150 of their costumes, props, videos, photographs, drawings, scripts and archival materials.

The museum is also featuring a new publication of the same name as the exhibition, an incredibly detailed catalogue that was published in succession with The Clichettes' first retrospective.

The catalogue was edited by Ivana Dizdar and designed by Rob Gray. It includes multiple collaborations between the Clichettes and other artists, directors, designers and writers. These include essays by Ivana Dizdar, Marni Jackson, John Greyson, Alexandra Schwartz, Mark Kingwell, rl Goldberg, Lillian Allen and Wanda Nanibush.  

Ivana Dizdar, an art historian and PhD candidate at the University of Toronto, carefully curated the exhibition for over three to four years. “It takes that long for a major exhibition at every museum. Usually for exhibitions, curators start working about four or five years in advance. Sometimes more depending on the scale and depending how much money and resources they have,” explained Dizdar.

Dizdar’s journey with The Clichettes began over a decade ago in a performance art seminar, where she was immediately captivated by their blend of political commentary and humour. “I realized that an artist could use humour in such a profound way,” she said. This early fascination ultimately led to her role as curator, where she closely collaborated with the artists throughout the process.

Dizdar expressed that her journey curating the exhibit was both enjoyable and chaotic as she worked alongside the trio, all of whom are now in their seventies. “It was really wacky. We brainstormed the title together and made decisions about what to include in the exhibition. Their involvement was crucial, as it’s their first retrospective, and I wanted to ensure they were happy with how their work was presented,” she said.

The exhibition honours The Clichettes’ past while aiming to inspire future generations of artists. Their distinctive combination of humour and political critique continues to resonate today, inviting audiences to reflect on societal issues.

Visitors of this retrospective will encounter an array of materials that exemplify The Clichettes' artistic journey. From humorous performances that challenge patriarchal norms to thought-provoking installations, the exhibition serves as a celebration of their innovative spirit.

"The mark of a good exhibition is that you don’t notice the hard work behind it. You simply enjoy the experience," said Dizdar. This retrospective, with its seamless design and engaging content, invites attendees to engage with The Clichettes’ vision for a better world.

The Clichettes: Lips, Wigs, and Politics not only showcases their unique contributions to performance art but also highlights the ongoing relevance of their work. Check out the exhibit conveniently located for students at the McMaster Museum of Art. You can also buy a copy of the elaborate publication at the MMA to receive an in-depth catalogue of their works.

The McMaster Museum of Art is hosting a workshop to teach the basics of mini zine making and trading art

For this year's Thrive Week, the McMaster Museum of Art is hosting a mini zine-making workshop. The workshop will be hosted on January 23 from 12 to 1 p.m.

Thrive Week is being held from January 22 to 26, and it is being managed by the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health and Mental Well-being. Its purpose is to bring the university community together to discuss mental health and find ways to support each other. Different areas of campus will be holding events throughout the week for students, alumni, staff and faculty.

Past Thrive Week events have included a therapy dog visit, a guided forest walk, a farm visit and a kind thoughts box.

The event will cover the basics of making mini zines while allowing participants to practice their own unique artistic style. You can also learn about trading your creations and the artistic process of zines in general. The workshop will also have a tour of the museum's exhibition Chasm.

The workshop is free to attend and includes free access to zine-making materials. To attend, you have to register online. Spots are limited!

Students should check out the upcoming event if they are interested in creating art or zines, learning more about different artistic forms or taking a break from studies to do something fun. Students should also keep an eye out for other Thrive Week events, especially if they are looking for ways to prioritize their mental health during the busy start to the semester. The full listing of Thrive Week events can be found here.

My dad chilling with the White Lady, circa 1965.

It’s hard to imagine a time at McMaster when there was no hospital on Main Street; when undergraduates were counted in the hundreds, rather than the thousands; when there were a mere four buildings populating campus.

It’s both a humorous and humbling adventure exploring archival articles and photographs from back in the day, and has become a frequent pastime of Sil staff. So much has changed (or not changed) over the course of McMaster’s history, for better and for worse. This week, we wanted to share a piece of that history in the form of featuring throwback content in every section.

Perhaps most striking about these recycled pieces is how timeless they are in their continued relevance to student life, government policy and Hamilton culture. Behind the yellowed newsprint and antiquated language are opinions, issues and thoughts that still matter and deserve a second run of publication.

Such nostalgia is a powerful conversation starter. Personal connections and forgotten stories often find their way into the present when we spend a moment wondering about the past. If we hadn’t published last week about the vandalized White Lady statue – who she is and where she came from – I would never know that once upon a time, a toddler-father of mine once sat in her arms in a blue jumper (and that there’s photographic evidence, as pictured, to prove it).

It’s easy for memories like that to get lost in the passage of time, especially on a campus where student – and student government – turnover happens at an accelerated rate. What is particularly disheartening is when those fighting the good fight on any variety of issues don’t have long enough to accomplish their goals in such a short time here, and when the progress they started is forgotten shortly after their convocation date. Their concerns and campaigns are often reincarnated a brief time later – but only once the momentum has died and the advocates, representatives and leaders don’t have the context or history to pick up where others left off. They’re back to square one.

That’s why concerns that were raised 30 years ago about (and by) the SRA are echoed today, the same old opinions get written every year, clubs have continuity issues and statues remain – years later – sadly graffitied, former glory all but forgotten.

This is how it has always been, but not how it needs to be. Sometimes, it isn’t until we take a moment to look back that we can know more clearly how we want to move forwards.