DOLLHOUSES: DOMESTIC TRANSITIONS

Opening reception: 6 pm to 9 pm on Thursday, November 8th Participating artists: Verna Mae Code, Christina Ignacio-Deines, Monique Martin, Caitlin Sian Richards, and Shirley A. Serviss. Join us for tea, desserts and a chance to chat about dollhouses with artists and museum organizers. Dollhouses or baby houses have been around since the 16th Century. These early structures were often used to teach domestic skills through formal instruction to young women. This exhibition aims to explore their historical contexts to situate the dollhouse as a valued commodity and domestic training tool. Artists question the implication of these toys as items that socializes femininity within a particular set of rules. They ask how dollhouses helped girls transition into domesticity, and what implications they have today. The Women’s Art Museum of Canada provides a platform to share and preserve historical moments that shape women’s roles in society. The museum is open Tuesday – noon to 5 pm, Wednesday – 2 pm to 7 pm and Thursday and Friday – 1 pm to 6 pm. Included image is by artist, Christina Ignacio-Deines, Riven’s Dream Lodge, 10”x 15”x 20” mixed media