There Must be 50 Ways to Kill Your Lover

Barney and WilmaMy appetite was whet after hearing about the Canadian Conservative Government's introduction of Bill C-61 and how artists will respond to what is being hailed a police state if the act is passed. Bill 61 is the Harper Government's attempt at initiating digital locks by ensuring complete control over media that is purchased, rented or downloaded.

The Appropos group, a coalition of artists whose exhibit opened at the Edward Day Gallery on Thursday night is a middle finger to the proposed law displaying imagery of existing popular culture icons.

The work that stole the show was by Diana Thorneycroft appropriately titled There Must be 50 Ways to Kill Your Lover, which portrays the murderous behaviour of popular cartoon characters commenting on the "ubiquitous use of violence as a form of entertainment...particularly in television shows geared towards a younger audience."

I wouldn't suggest bringing impressionable children to the exhibit. Expect to see your favourite cartoon characters caught in the act after the aftermath; Barney Rubble holding his privates as Betty stands proud after gouging him with a knife or the infamous Marge Simpson caught with a mischievous smile while blood trickles onto the floor from the knife in Homer's heart.

Appropos is curated by Kelly McCray at the Edward Day Gallery and runs from July 3 to July 27th. No doubt this Bill will continue to cause outcries from contemporary artists and I hope that Thorneycroft will take my advice and eliminate the entire crew of Jem and the Holograms.

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whet. gouging.

Posted by: nate at July 5, 2008 12:59 AM

Thanks, Nate. Fixed.

Posted by: Jerrold at July 5, 2008 2:05 AM

I don't really understand this show. Okay, it is obviously about sampling pop culture/mass media.. but is it in response to C-61 or is whoever curating it just framing it that way? I can't really read the intent of the show through the rhetoric. Regardless, the images look nice. I wonder what John Oswald's contribution is..

Posted by: Greg J. Smith [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 5, 2008 2:46 PM

All of the artists represented at the show are being impacted by the law and stand opposed to C-61 collectively through The Appropos Group. According to the bio, John Oswald had his music and performances of Michael Jackson shut down by the recording industry representing Jackson.

Posted by: Lisa Bradburn at July 5, 2008 5:30 PM

The bill is a result of applying analog thinking to a digital medium. What it really does is erode the concept of a public commons owned (and maintained) by all Canadians, not corporations.

Balancing the need for a public commons against the needs of balance sheets can be accomplished in other ways.

Barney doesn't need to die.

Posted by: lou at July 5, 2008 8:58 PM

Please check out the Edward Day Gallery website for the full press release :(http://www.edwarddaygallery.com/exhibitions.htm)

BoingBoing has a great article on the show that you could possibly reference :(http://www.boingboing.net/2008/07/06/toronto-gallery-hang.html)

There is no 'Appropos Group' or 'coalition', not sure where you got that information from. There are also press releases available at the gallery.

Posted by: Brett at July 8, 2008 1:13 PM

hi Lisa, very cool meeting you @ Edward Day's... I was thinking on writing a rant re. Bill C-61 or start a facebook group. if it's not too late... will keep you posted.

here's a link from the days I used to write for art's sake/

http://www.dianefarrisgallery.com/artist/xiong/press/redlands.htm

Posted by: Harold Ortiz at July 11, 2008 12:38 PM

This statement is found on the Edward Day Gallery site referencing the coalition:
The Appropriation Art Coalition, a coalition of art professionals across Canada oppose Bill C-61, advocating that if the new legislation is passed, it will make it "illegal to access existing material, modify it, comment on it and/or publicly display it.

Posted by: Lisa Bradburn at July 19, 2008 9:22 PM

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