Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Exhibition sets Leeds alight with launch and bra burning event
Casey Orr's 'Saturday Girl' exhibition also includes a series of free events, kicking off with the launch event on Thursday 27 February from 6-8pm, with live performances by Leeds girl bands the Velveteens and Zombie Squid Squad.
Speaking about her series of photographic portraits, Casey said: "My portraits depict young women in Leeds, specifically seen through their hairstyles. It is an exploration of what hair means culturally and personally to young women and how they experience and use the power inherent in becoming visible as women. Saturday Girl is an exhibition and a series of free events: including a film screening, talks and performance, all exploring the idea of beauty, power and visibility in relation to women."
Following the launch, on Thursday 6 March, there will be a one-day event of talks, performance and production with artists, researchers and writers based or working in Leeds. 'Women, Visibility and Playful Acts' aims to inspire, trigger debate and provide an opportunity to celebrate in a social environment of communal exchange and participation.
A special event is planned for International Women's Day, Saturday 8 March. At 11am, a large paper-mache bra, which has been built by graphic arts and design students at Leeds Met, will be walked from the University's Broadcasting Place building to the Leeds Gallery Munro House and set on fire, with the help of maker Tony Wade from Faceless Company, as a symbolic and playful act in recognition of the day.
Joining the procession will be 'March in March', a performance initiated by Harold Offeh with a group of Leeds Met students. The piece will explore the history of visual and performance culture in the international women's movement. The March will culminate in a communal gathering at the Gallery.
Further events as part of the exhibition include free screenings of the original 1988 film, 'Hairspray' on Thursday 13 March from 6.30pm and the Channel 4 documentary, 'Crazy About One Direction', with a talk by filmmaker Daisy Asquith, from 6.30pm on Wednesday 26 March; as well as a panel discussion, 'Pictures of Leeds', around the city's relationship to photography, from 6pm on Thursday 20 March.
'Saturday Girl' runs at Gallery Munro House until Monday 31 March. All of Casey's artwork is for sale. To view and purchase artwork, and for more information and to book on to any of the free events, please go tohttp://leedsgallery.com/exhibitions/saturday-girl/