In 2018, two members of the Musée de la Civilization team came up with the idea of exploring gender identities. Five years later the exhibition Unique emerges at a time when these issues are front and center in the news.
Unique in its genre runs until April 14, 2024 and offers an exhibition whose task is to shed light and promote a better understanding of the dynamics associated with different identities.
“We pride ourselves on tackling complex, sensitive and off-the-beaten-track issues. “With this exhibition, we decided to be sensitive and respectful of gender identities and to understand each other better,” said Stéphan La Roche, President and CEO of the Musée de la Civilization, during a press visit.
“Unique” is in line with the mission of this institution, whose mission is to be representative, open and connected to societal reality.
“Unique of its kind is an outstretched hand, an invitation to benevolent dialogue and nurtured by a better understanding of the realities and experiences of those around us,” he added.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
A partial view of the One of a Kind exhibition.
Reduce prejudice
Marie-Phillipe Phillie Drouin, Managing Director of Divergences, helped create Unique in its genre.
“There’s a lot of confusion and prejudice around gender identities. “I thank the museum for daring to present this exhibition in such a controversial social climate as it is now,” she said.
For drag queen Barbada, who hosted the unveiling of this exhibit, “One of a Kind” is essential and necessary. Whether on the edge or in the majority.
“Everyone has a gender relationship. “This exhibition focuses on kindness, openness towards others and living together,” she said on the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.
Caution
Caroline Lantagne, project manager at the Musée de la Civilization, says the idea for this exhibition came about in 2018.
“We had started a small call for projects that could be interesting for future exhibitions. Two colleagues had discussed gender identities. The idea caught on and was given the green light in 2020. Little did we know at the time it was going to be such a hot topic,” she said.
For the first time in 35 years, the Musée de la Civilization has placed a warning sign at the entrance to the exhibition hall. Explicit anatomical elements and partially nude scenes are part of the different exhibition areas. It is recommended that children under the age of 14 are accompanied by an adult.
“We invite you to experience One of a Kind with openness and friendliness,” reads the sign.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
One of the pieces of this new museum appointment.
Unique in its genre consists of seven zones that explore the different dimensions of gender identities through objects, audiovisual documents, explanatory panels, testimonies and artistic works. Both in humans and in the animal world.
The exhibition explores gender identities and expressions, the diversity of gendered bodies in wildlife and humans, gendered social norms, discrimination, social movements, past and present demands, and current trans and queer cultures.
Unique in its genre, it also highlights the way gender identities have evolved over time across cultures in Quebec and elsewhere.