FEMS and GEMS
June 28th, 7:30 pm—9:30 pm EST
Capitol Theatre 121 University Ave W, Windsor, ON
On Friday, June 28, the Capitol Theatre hosted "FEMS and GEMS," a variety and drag show that served as part of the FEMeeting Women in Art, Science, and Technology Conference. This event marked the grand finale of the FEMeeting Women in Art, Science, and Technology Conference, bringing together a diverse audience to honour the contributions of women across various fields.
The evening began with the Gentleman Scientist, who was joined by the fabulous drag queen Epoxy, to host a plenary roundtable discussion featuring FEMeeting luminaries María Antonia González Valerio, Kathy High, and Amy Youngs. They shared their insights and experiences in a dynamic Q&A session. The program continued with live music by Crystal Mahoney, captivating performances by Miss Mercury Retrograde and Lua, and spoken word poetry by CHI.IKE’. The community enjoyed a spirited sing-along and danced the night away, with the closing festivities filled with laughter and celebration, creating unforgettable memories for everyone involved. In a fittingly dramatic twist, the night ended when the power went out in downtown Windsor during the curtain call, serving as an unexpected testament to the energy radiating from the theatre.
Co-Curators:
Cole Fortier and Jennifer Willet
Stage Manager:
Erik Helle
Host Partners:
Dr. Jennifer Willet, INCUBATOR Art Lab, SoCA, UWindsor
Mireille Bourgeois, IOTA Institute, Halifax, NS
Marta de Menezes, Ectopia Experimental Art Laboratory, and Cultivamos Cultura Portugal
Dr. Dalila Honorato, Ionian University, Greece
Video by JEL Media, FEMeeting 2024, FEMS and GEMS, 2024. Video Credit: Justin Elliot.
Meet the Hosts!
Dr. Jennifer Willet
Dr. Jennifer Willet works internationally as an artist and curator in the emerging field of Bioart. Her work resides at the intersection of art and science, and explores notions of representation, the body, ecologies, and interspecies interrelations in the biotechnological field.
Willet holds a PhD from Concordia University in Interdisciplinary Humanities Program, and an MFA from the University of Guelph. She has taught in Studio Arts at Concordia University, at the Art and Genomics Centre at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, and now works as an Associate Professor in the School of Creative Arts at The University of Windsor.
In 2009 she opened INCUBATOR Lab, the first biological art lab in Canada. In January 2018, INCUBATOR launched a new theatre/laboratory facility where live audiences can view multimedia bioart performances through a glass wall.
Epoxy
| Artist | Entrepreneur | Drag Queen |
Cole Fortier, a Windsor-born artist, small business owner, and drag performer, graduated from the University of Windsor in 2015 with a Fine Arts degree. He later worked in graphic design, selling over 2000 prints through Urban Outfitters. He co-curated one of Windsors coolest vintage stores, selling costumes for film and television projects including Stranger Things (Season 4). Cole conceived his drag persona Epoxy during the pandemic lockdowns, as he explored the concept of drag as an art form. Over the past few years, Cole has received numerous grants and funding for curating projects and events as Epoxy, including a ‘150 years of drag history in Windsor-Detroit’ project at the Arts Council Windsor-Region.
Meet the Fems
Prof. Dr.María Antonia González Valerio
Prof. Dr. María Antonia González Valerio is a full-time professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Born in Mexico City in 1977, she holds a PhD in Philosophy from UNAM and specialises in the intersections of ontology, aesthetics, and interdisciplinary studies involving art and science.
She directs the Seminar Arte+Ciencia, which promotes collaboration between artists, academics, and scientists, resulting in educational programs, research, and artistic projects. González Valerio also leads the artistic collective Bios ex Machina and curates exhibitions on art and science.
Her distinctive philosophy of nature blends ontology and aesthetics and has been presented internationally.
González Valerio has published extensively in Spanish and English, with notable works including Through the Scope of Life: Art and (Bio) Technologies Philosophically Revisited (Springer, 2023). She has translated key philosophical texts into Spanish and has been a guest lecturer at prestigious institutions worldwide.
Kathy High
Kathy High is an interdisciplinary artist, curator and scholar working in bioart, media and performance art. She collaborates with scientists and activists, and considers living systems, animal sentience, waste studies, queer ecologies, and the ethical dilemmas of biotechnology and medical industries. She exhibits her films, performances, and conceptual works in the US and internationally, and has received awards from Guggenheim Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, among others. High is full Professor in the Arts department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, and director of the BioArt and Technology Laboratory at Rensselaer’s Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies. She is also the coordinator of the community science project
NATURE Lab focused on urban ecologies and community-led health initiatives, which is part of the Troy-based activist organization
The Sanctuary for Independent Media. She is committed to queer and feminist approaches to social and eco- justice, DIY science, and collaborative art and action.
Amy Youngs
Amy M. Youngs is an Associate Professor of Art at the Ohio State University, where she collaborates on interdisciplinary projects and teaches courses in digital media, art & science, and eco art. Her artwork explores entanglements between technology, plants, and animals. She has created installations that amplify the sounds of living worms, indoor ecosystems powered by a rocking chair, an interactive museum for live insects, an augmented reality tour of real nature. Her works have been exhibited widely in the United States as well as internationally, including Norway, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Spain, Portugal, China, Croatia, and Mexico. Youngs earned an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BA from San Francisco State University.
Meet the Gems
CHI.IKE’s
CHI.IKE’s work blends both form and medium, the poetic and imagination. Her work looks at history for inspiration from the Igbo Women's War to the use of Nsibidi in Nigeria. She looks at history and current issues from an academic intersectional/anarcha-feminism lens.
Miss Mercury Retrograde
| Artist | Burlesque | Drag Queen |
Miss Mercury Retrograde is a character portrayed by local femme fatale Nicole Coffman. Mercury is a Windsor-based performer, who is known for her ‘drag-lesque’ performances. Highly revered for her fashion and overall vintage-aesthetic, she was awarded the title of Miss Retrofest and Miss Motorama in the past year. Aside from designing her retro wigs and costumes, she has many other talents including fire and circus arts.
Crystal Mahoney
Crystal Mahoney is a singer-songwriter based locally in Windsor Ontario. She's competed in many local competitions over the years and has recently won Season 6 "Raise Your Voice Singing Competition". She first discovered her love for music as a young girl singing in the Church. Today she draws most of her inspiration from raw/talented undiscovered singers honing their craft. She believes singing is never just about what the listeners hear, but rather what they feel❣️ Crystal's music is often a versatile & transformative experience helping us all to connect on a deeper level🥰🫶🏾
Lua
| Artist | Advocate | Drag Queen |
Lua is a character portrayed by local artist and designer Matthew Levesque. Matthew has been a major player in the Windsor drag scene for the past few years, and has started to branch out as a well-known queen beyond the boundaries of Essex County. She holds two titles for drag competitions, and coins herself as Windsors ‘fierce, creative and bizarre queen’. She is an advocate for queer rights, and also Autism & ADHD awareness.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to our funders and supporters: City of Windsor Culture and Heritage Fund, Ontario Arts Council, the University of Windsor, the School of Creative Arts, and the Capitol Theatre.
Video and Image Credits
Justin Elliott, Jel Media
