2014
Workin’ The Tease
April 22–May 7
BALTIMORE—Maryland Institute College of Art’s (MICA) Exhibition Development Seminar (EDS) presents Workin’ the Tease: The Art of Baltimore Burlesque, an exhibition celebrating burlesque as an art form that combines slapstick humor, dance and body spectacle strip tease. From Tuesday, April 22–Wednesday, May 7 at The Patricia and Arthur Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric (140 W. Mount Royal Ave.), Workin’ the Tease will look at burlesque’s rich history in Baltimore through live performance and historical and contemporary artifacts. Receptions will take place Tuesday, April 22, 5–9 p.m., with a performance at 7 p.m., and Wednesday, May 7, 5–7 p.m.
“EDS is excited to work with the Modell Lyric to return burlesque to the opera house stage,” said Niamh Doherty, EDS co-curator and class spokesperson. “This show celebrates the evolution of Baltimore’s unique burlesque performance tradition by tracing its history from the Golden Age [in the early 20th century] to contemporary practice.”
Visitors can discover burlesque’s evolution over the decades—from the early 20th century, when the section of East Baltimore Street known as “The Block” was home to a thriving burlesque club scene, to recent decades in which a vibrant underground culture formed after the fading of burlesque’s mass appeal during midcentury. Performers, such as Paco Fish, Short Staxx and Tapitha Kix, will provide some of the exhibited artifacts, which will include costumes, pasties, accessories, calling cards and posters from the Globe Poster Printing Corporation, now part of MICA’s collection. Workin’ the Tease will also feature new work from local Baltimore photographer Sean Scheidt who is photographing the performers participating in the exhibition and Best of Baltimore.
EDS invites the public to take part in the following programming while anticipating the opening of Workin’ the Tease:
Hair and Burlesque
Friday, March 7, 6–8 p.m.
MICA’s Graduate Studio Center auditorium, 131 W. North Ave.
Workinʼ the Tease and Bolton Hillʼs Beehive Hair Salon team up for an evening of hair, makeup and costuming in the burlesque style. Participants will learn about the aesthetic culture surrounding burlesque, including hair styles and costume staples, from local burlesque performers.
Globe Poster Collection: New Perspective on Baltimore Burlesque
Saturday, March 15 and Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
MICA’s Dolphin Building PR 201, 1000 Dolphin St.
This program welcomes participants to learn about Baltimore printing history and gain an appreciation and understanding of historical burlesque posters while printing their own. Held in MICAʼs own Dolphin Building that hosts materials from the Globe Poster Printing Corporation, this workshop allows for participants to design their own dance/burlesque poster through a contemporary perspective.
Undressing Baltimore
Thursday, April 17, 4–6 p.m.
MICA’s Brown Center: Falvey Hall, 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave.
In this panel discussion, local burlesque performers give valuable insight into the theories that inspire their performances and the ways in which they use their bodies to tell stories. Audience members are invited to ask questions and take the opportunity to get to know the performers as artists and everyday Baltimore residents.
Best of Baltimore
Tuesday, April 22, 5–9 p.m., performance at 7 p.m.
Modell Lyric, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave.
An opening night reception and performance will pay homage to past and current performers on the Modell Lyric opera stage and showcase some of the city’s local talent. This live performance, featuring new and never-before-seen acts, will follow a traditional burlesque performance model, featuring an emcee and individual acts that capture the distinctive spirit of the city’s burlesque scene. Performances will include forms such as queerlesque (burlesque performed by a member of the LGBTQ community), boylesque (burlesque performed by a male), classical, sideshow and acrobatic burlesques.
EDS is a yearlong MICA course in which students examine the curatorial process by working collaboratively with the assistance of professional mentors to research, plan and produce a major exhibition.
Workin’ the Tease and its programming are free and open to the public. Exhibition hours are: Tuesday, April 22, 5–9 p.m.; Thursday, April 24, Monday, April 28 and Friday, May 2, 12:30–4:30 p.m.; and Wednesday, April 30, Monday, May 5 and Wednesday, May 7, 5–7 p.m.
Although every effort is made to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the EDS-produced Workin’ the Tease: The Art of Baltimore Burlesque press details, information does sometimes change. For the most up-to-date visitor information, visit workinthetease.com and “like” the Facebook event page at facebook.com/WorkinTheTease.
A catalog is scheduled to be available during the run of the exhibition.
For high-resolution images or interview requests, contact MICA’s Office of Communications at 410.225.2300.
Creative license is encouraged at MICA, though it is important to note that exhibitions developed by students and independent artists do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the College.
EDS would like to thank the Friends of EDS for their generous support.
MICA’s exhibitions are supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. An agency of the Department of Business & Economic Development, the MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities.
“EDS is excited to work with the Modell Lyric to return burlesque to the opera house stage,” said Niamh Doherty, EDS co-curator and class spokesperson. “This show celebrates the evolution of Baltimore’s unique burlesque performance tradition by tracing its history from the Golden Age [in the early 20th century] to contemporary practice.”
Visitors can discover burlesque’s evolution over the decades—from the early 20th century, when the section of East Baltimore Street known as “The Block” was home to a thriving burlesque club scene, to recent decades in which a vibrant underground culture formed after the fading of burlesque’s mass appeal during midcentury. Performers, such as Paco Fish, Short Staxx and Tapitha Kix, will provide some of the exhibited artifacts, which will include costumes, pasties, accessories, calling cards and posters from the Globe Poster Printing Corporation, now part of MICA’s collection. Workin’ the Tease will also feature new work from local Baltimore photographer Sean Scheidt who is photographing the performers participating in the exhibition and Best of Baltimore.
EDS invites the public to take part in the following programming while anticipating the opening of Workin’ the Tease:
Hair and Burlesque
Friday, March 7, 6–8 p.m.
MICA’s Graduate Studio Center auditorium, 131 W. North Ave.
Workinʼ the Tease and Bolton Hillʼs Beehive Hair Salon team up for an evening of hair, makeup and costuming in the burlesque style. Participants will learn about the aesthetic culture surrounding burlesque, including hair styles and costume staples, from local burlesque performers.
Globe Poster Collection: New Perspective on Baltimore Burlesque
Saturday, March 15 and Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
MICA’s Dolphin Building PR 201, 1000 Dolphin St.
This program welcomes participants to learn about Baltimore printing history and gain an appreciation and understanding of historical burlesque posters while printing their own. Held in MICAʼs own Dolphin Building that hosts materials from the Globe Poster Printing Corporation, this workshop allows for participants to design their own dance/burlesque poster through a contemporary perspective.
Undressing Baltimore
Thursday, April 17, 4–6 p.m.
MICA’s Brown Center: Falvey Hall, 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave.
In this panel discussion, local burlesque performers give valuable insight into the theories that inspire their performances and the ways in which they use their bodies to tell stories. Audience members are invited to ask questions and take the opportunity to get to know the performers as artists and everyday Baltimore residents.
Best of Baltimore
Tuesday, April 22, 5–9 p.m., performance at 7 p.m.
Modell Lyric, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave.
An opening night reception and performance will pay homage to past and current performers on the Modell Lyric opera stage and showcase some of the city’s local talent. This live performance, featuring new and never-before-seen acts, will follow a traditional burlesque performance model, featuring an emcee and individual acts that capture the distinctive spirit of the city’s burlesque scene. Performances will include forms such as queerlesque (burlesque performed by a member of the LGBTQ community), boylesque (burlesque performed by a male), classical, sideshow and acrobatic burlesques.
EDS is a yearlong MICA course in which students examine the curatorial process by working collaboratively with the assistance of professional mentors to research, plan and produce a major exhibition.
Workin’ the Tease and its programming are free and open to the public. Exhibition hours are: Tuesday, April 22, 5–9 p.m.; Thursday, April 24, Monday, April 28 and Friday, May 2, 12:30–4:30 p.m.; and Wednesday, April 30, Monday, May 5 and Wednesday, May 7, 5–7 p.m.
Although every effort is made to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the EDS-produced Workin’ the Tease: The Art of Baltimore Burlesque press details, information does sometimes change. For the most up-to-date visitor information, visit workinthetease.com and “like” the Facebook event page at facebook.com/WorkinTheTease.
A catalog is scheduled to be available during the run of the exhibition.
For high-resolution images or interview requests, contact MICA’s Office of Communications at 410.225.2300.
Creative license is encouraged at MICA, though it is important to note that exhibitions developed by students and independent artists do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the College.
EDS would like to thank the Friends of EDS for their generous support.
MICA’s exhibitions are supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. An agency of the Department of Business & Economic Development, the MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities.
