Exhibition opening 6pm Wednesday 23 August 2023
Out of the Shadows is an exhibition of digital drawings, crochet sculptures and video works. The works reflect Megan Munro’s life as a queer, disabled artist and sometime performer.
The artist’s everyday life is very quiet, slow, and removed from the outside world. Think permanent COVID lockdown. Prior to becoming chronically ill, Munro was very active in queer communities, performing as a drag king and living a full and active life. Now the artist lives very quietly and deals with the ongoing grief related to the loss of that former life.
Munro has Myalgic Encephomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Fibromyalgia, an illness that is very misunderstood. As only 5% of people ever fully recover from it most people are affected for life. Munro must spend a lot of time resting and conserving energy with most energy going towards day to day activities, like showering.
One of the positives to Munro’s disability is that it has facilitated change in the artist who now notices and enjoys all the little things in life: shadows that appear on the walls of their house, growth of their garden and the comfort of pets. Occasionally Munro still performs drag/burlesque. The juxtaposition between being in the spotlight and being at home living quietly is explored in the artist’s work.
Munro’s digital drawings are bright and colourful, each with its own story, while the small crochet sculptures are self-portraits reflecting the artist’s everyday life. These contrast with digital works which are moody—and explore time, change and the concept of moving slowly.
The exhibition itself will be as accessible as possible for viewers as this is integral to the artist’s work.
Megan Munro is a queer, disabled artist who graduated from the Canberra School of Art in 1996 after studying Textiles and Sculpture. Munro has used various mediums over the years, and participated in many group exhibitions. This will be their 6th solo exhibition.
Megan Munro, CPAP Self-Portrait, 2022, yarn, fabric, 20 x 40 x 30cm.