You're invited to immerse yourself in the culminating thesis exhibition and book launch of Toronto artist and MFA candidate Tara Krebs. "You’ll Distract the Boys!" is a non-linear storybook in which you assume the lives of various women and girls, and respond to common experiences they face. After every scenario presented, you are tasked with choosing how to proceed from a pair of possible responses. Each selection will affect the outcomes and potential consequences of these choices, and determine the direction of your narrative path.
During the exhibition, pages from the book will be displayed throughout the gallery so that guests can physically navigate the story. By confronting the narrative in public space, visitors' choices will be visible to others, and open to critique and judgement - resembling more closely what the characters might experience themselves.
"You’ll Distract the Boys!" addresses the deeply-imbedded influence of patriarchy on the discourse around women, and how it dictates the impossible standards of how they should look, speak, and behave. The goal of this project is to examine how literary role-play can be used as a pedagogic tool, and inspire compassion toward the lives of others. It also aims to provide a sense of solidarity to North American women and girls by acknowledging their diverse realms of experience.
Opening reception is Thursday, April 26, from 6:00pm-10pm, with an interactive live reading at 7:00pm. The exhibition runs from April 21-29. Visiting hours are 1:00pm-6:00pm, Wednesday to Sunday. The narrative will also be available for sale in book-format throughout the run of the show.
As this book/exhibition deals with topics such as body censorship, gender construct, and sexual violence, some readers/visitors may be sensitive to the content. Off-hour viewings can be arranged for women who require a safe space to view the work alone. If you would like to request a private viewing, or have any other questions, please contact the artist directly at hello@tarakrebs.com.