Arts + Literature Laboratory presents In the Pejorative, an exhibition by Terri Messinides on display from Friday, January 10, 2025 through Saturday, March 1, 2025
A "First Look" for the new exhibitions will be held Friday, January 10, 2025 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Note: this will be a mask-required event.
An opening reception for the new exhibitions will be held Friday, January 24, 2025 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. This event will be mask-optional.
In the Pejorative was started during the pandemic with the realization that there are many more pejorative words in the English language for women than for men. One estimate state there are approximately 6,000 pejorative words for women, reflecting the misogyny hidden in plain sight in the English language. These pejorative words compare women to food, animals, bags or receptacles, boats, and other categories. There are thousands of words that name the female breasts and genitals. Words that comment on a woman’s sexuality abound, including all the words that compare a woman to a whore or prostitute. The words that demean women and imply violence are frightening and leave women and girls worrying for their safety and leaves them in a permanent state of vigilance day and night. All these pejorative words reflect the misogyny that is deeply embedded in our culture and persists with the continued use of these pejoratives.
Each of these words is embroidered on muslin using a stitch called a French Knot in a camouflage pattern reflecting the hidden nature of misogyny in our everyday language. There is no endpoint to this project, I will continue to embroider these words into the future.
