Lucas Morneau
July 11 - August 22, 2024
Opening Reception July 11, 7-9 PM
Artist's Talk Saturday, July 13, 3PM
Queer Newfoundland Hockey League (QNHL) is a fictional hockey league made up of 14 teams, all of which use pejoratives used against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community as team names. QNHL uses these pejoratives to reclaim the words often used against queer individuals both on and off the ice. These pejoratives, such as sissy and fag, are also often used against individuals who do not conform to the hegemonic masculinity often assigned to sports – teammates often cannot be emotional, cannot draw attention to themselves, nor talk about personal issues without fear of reprisal.
Each jersey is hand crocheted and rughooked, using craft practices often delegated as “women’s work”. Some jerseys are rughooked using pantyhose worn by drag performers, referencing the history of rughooking in Newfoundland and the Grenfell Mission’s use of stockings from women around rural communities in the province.
The jerseys are paired with 10 crochet goalie masks, stylized as doilies. These goalie doilies reference the introduction of the goalie mask and its first full-time NHL user Jacques Plante, who was ridiculed and mocked for wearing a mask after sustaining serious injuries during a game. Many players and fans questioned Plante’s bravery and dedication to the game due to his mask.
QNHL, by reclaiming these pejoratives, aims to deconstruct homophobia in sports and sports culture and critique the existing hegemonic masculinity in sports culture. By bringing awareness to the toxic elements of the current hegemonic masculinity, QNHL aims to create a new, positive, and accepting masculinity for sports enthusiast.
Bio:
Lucas Morneau (they/he) is an interdisciplinary artist and curator from the island of Ktaqmtuk/Newfoundland. Blending drag with textiles, photography, video performance, and sculpture, their practice queers Newfoundland/Canadian cultural pastimes and traditions, exploring gender performativity and critiquing hegemonic masculinity in so-called Canada and Newfoundland.
Morneau has exhibited solo exhibitions throughout Canada, as well as exhibited in the United States of America and the United Kingdom. Notable exhibitions include Queer Newfoundland Hockey League, at ODD Gallery in Dawson City, YK, Kamloops Art Gallery in Kamloops, BC, and Mary E. Black Gallery in Halifax, NS, and The Queer Mummer at Grenfell Art Gallery in Corner Brook, NL, Acadian University Art Gallery in Wolfville, NS, and Cape Breton University Art Gallery in Sydney, NS.
Morneau has participated in residencies across Canada, including Critical Mass’ 2021 Artist in Residence program in Port Hope, Ontario, and 41e Symposium international d‘art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul in Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec in 2023.
Morneau has won multiple awards and honours, including the 2016 BMO 1st Art Award for Newfoundland and Labrador, the 2018 Cox & Palmer Pivotal Point Grant, the 2018 and 2021 Scotiabank New Generations Photography Award Shortlist, and the 2024 Sobey Art Award Longlist. They have also received multiple grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, ArtsNL, and ArtsNB.
Morneau holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland—Grenfell Campus (2016) and a Master of Fine Arts from University of Saskatchewan (2018). They currently live in the Siknikt distric of Mi’kma’ki — Sackville, New Brunswick, where they work as the Production Manager for artist run-centre Struts Gallery.