Firecat projects opened in 2010 and operates a unique model for a gallery. It has monthly exhibitions of both local and national artists without taking a commission from their sales. We have had exhibitions from artists ages 12 to 95 across all mediums. Our hope is to put a spotlight on the unusual committed artist who is tired of being the only quirky one in a group show.
Openings are usually held on the last Friday of the month. Please check ahead of time. They are free to public, and all are welcome.
Image: Vito Desalvo
","type":"EventCategory","state":"drafted","slug":"exhibitions","created_at":"2018-10-22 18:54:41.176231","updated_at":"2018-10-22 18:54:41.176231","excerpt":"","is_timeless":true,"organization_id":421,"highlighted":false,"opening_starts_at":"2020-10-23 19:00:00","opening_ends_at":"2020-10-23 22:00:00","searchable":"'17.5':276B '2020':277B '23.5':274B 'abl':223B 'accid':81B 'adorn':163B 'advertis':21B 'age':168B 'agenc':194B 'allow':202B 'american':124B 'answer':44B,259B 'ask':250B 'becom':225B 'campaign':22B 'care':103B 'cell':181B 'chang':262B 'charcoal':272B 'choic':139B 'clairol':24B 'collag':144B 'color':26B,51B 'condit':174B 'confid':110B 'connot':184B 'constrict':201B 'control':220B 'copywrit':85B 'dead':180B 'defin':157B 'deviat':117B 'discret':107B 'doesn':6A,10B,30B,48B,96B,129B,132B,150B,255B,267B 'drawn':142B 'empow':199B 'endless':72B 'era':84B 'escap':68B 'exact':87B 'feel':205B 'focus':208B 'focus-group-test':207B 'freedom':213B 'gone':240B 'graphit':273B 'group':209B 'hair':25B,53B,102B,165B,173B,178B,188B,234B,238B 'hairdress':35B 'hasn':260B 'husband':65B 'imag':263B 'independ':112B 'inner':61B 'knew':86B 'know':36B 'life':62B,121B,185B 'line':41B,92B 'locus':191B 'long':66B 'look':153B 'love':63B 'madmen':83B 'manipul':182B 'mayb':141B 'mean':135B 'measur':167B 'melissa':1A 'mere':114B 'myriad':43B 'natur':75B 'necessarili':134B 'oil':270B 'paint':143B 'passion':217B 'pitch':90B 'polit':171B 'possibl':70B,115B 'potenti':187B 'prescript':120B 'primal':162B 'profession':169B 'question':16B 're':247B 'restraint':196B 'sculpt':146B 'secreci':111B 'secret':60B 'self':109B 'self-confid':108B 'sell':101B,106B 'sex':55B 'slogan':78B 'stern':2A 'stick':271B 'stranger':57B 'style':176B 'suggest':74B 'sure':38B 'tag':40B 'taken':17B 'tempt':248B 'test':210B 'untam':216B 'us':203B 'version':211B,218B 'via':232B 'vintag':20B 'want':229B 'wasn':99B 'whatev':226B 'woman':125B,227B 'women':198B 'x':275B 'youth':186B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1731088404/wgxhxp66tu4ncdyafyf5.png","calendar":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/raw/upload/v1721669391/event_ics_1721669391321.ics","carousel":null,"event_body":"
DOES SHE OR DOESN’T SHE?
That is the question.
Taken from a vintage advertising campaign for Clairol Hair Coloring (“Does She or Doesn’t She? Only Her Hairdresser Knows For Sure!”), the tag line has myriad answers. Does she or doesn’t she… color her hair? Have sex with strangers? Have a secret inner life? Love her husband? Long to escape?. The possibilities are endless. The suggestive nature of the slogan is no accident. The Madmen-era copywriter knew exactly how to pitch the line. “Does She or Doesn’t She” wasn’t selling hair care; it was selling discretion, self-confidence, secrecy, independence, the mere possibility for deviation from the prescriptive life of the American woman. \"Does She Or Doesn't She\" doesn't necessarily mean she has a choice...but maybe.
Drawn, painted, collaged, and sculpted, “Does She or Doesn’t She” looks at how we define ourselves with our most primal adornment: our hair. We measure age, professionalism, and politics by hair condition and styling. Our hair is dead cells manipulated to connote life, youth, potential. Hair is a locus of both agency and restraint for women, empowering and constricting, allowing us to feel a focus-group-tested version of freedom and an untamed, passionate version of control.
We are able to become whatever woman we want to be via our hair. And when that hair is gone… who are you? And if you’re tempted to ask me, “Does She or Doesn’t She?” My answer hasn’t changed.
Image: Does She or Doesn’t She, oil stick, charcoal, graphite. 23.5 x 17.5, 2020
","name":"Exhibitions","organization_type_id":"1","district_id":"5","telephone":"","website":"http://www.firecatprojects.org","email":"vitodklein@aol.com","hours":"Tu– Sa 10am–6pm and by appt.","location":"2019 N. Damen Chicago, IL 60647","display_location":"2019 N. Damen Chicago, IL 60647","latitude":"41.918417","longitude":"-87.677390","contact":"Stan Klein","sub_district_id":"12","promoted_at":"2018-10-24T18:52:54.772Z","optional_sort_name":"","paid":false,"position":2,"category_name":"Exhibitions","orgname":"Firecat Projects","orgslug":"firecat-projects","image":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1721668327/xz5cmuz66c1v97a2olr9.png"}