“We’ve reached a point in our history where even a tepid apology from a man is cause for artistic commemoration.”

 

In artist Karen Mainenti’s newest body of work—the #MeToo Boutique—she explores parallels between recent apologies made by men accused of sexual harassment and fault-finding marketing claims routinely displayed on consumer products for women.

 

"Reading these rich and powerful men’s public apologies, I was struck by how common it was for a woman to admit... her many ‘flaws,’ but completely unexpected for a man to admit any of his failings,” shares Mainenti.

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Mainenti, who is known to engage with appropriated text and images, drawn from consumer products, advertising and media, applies the same lens she often uses to scrutinize women’s items to “re-design” ubiquitous consumer goods targeted at men, including Pabst Blue Ribbon, Irish Spring, Barbasol and Speed Stick.

 

In a program curated by Marly Hammer and Lisa Wirth, works include drawings of objects devoted to Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump, Charlie Rose, and Harvey Weinstein, brought together in the #MeToo Boutique.

 

In Mainenti’s re-imagining, popular product names are replaced with quotes drawn from each man’s apology.  The irony of each apology juxtaposed with marketing repurposed from the products themselves—Maximum confidence! Feel clean and fresh!

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