Masking Collective
(Madelyne Beckles + Delilah Rosier)
August 28 - October 2, 2021
Panel Discussion - September 23, 2021 @ 7:00PM
Webinar ID: 846 7842 9636
Passcode: AfterAA
AA Bronson describes Lena (Cries) as “a totally politically incorrect story about a 14 year old black girl, and each chapter puts her through a completely different kind of sexual scenario. It's like her sexual education in a way. In a way it's kind of a hilarious book, but it was almost immediately banned in Canada.” Lena (Cries) was originally published in 1968, just shortly before Bronson formed what would become the celebrated queer art collective General Idea alongside collaborators Felix Partz and Jorge Zontal. Despite the state’s initial response (the book’s seizure was part of a larger crackdown against the sale of illicit pornography, and thus not a specific target), Lena (Cries) was reprinted twice, first in 1971 as Lena by A.C. McWhortle, and then again, surprisingly, in 2009 as Lana by AA Bronson, with a new cover by Richard Prince. I don’t want to read it, but I could if I wanted to, because two of my friends recently uncovered a copy.
Masking Collective (Madelyne Beckles and Delilah Rosier) gratefully acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council.
Image by Jorian Charlton.