The Hole is proud to announce its latest collaboration with New York based visual and performing artist Kembra Pfahler; a release of moving sculpture manifesting as transparent PVC tote bags. For years, Pfahler has drawn pen-and-ink figures wearing her iconic performance costume: thigh-high boots, thick-winged eye makeup, massive fright wig topped with a bow. The self-portraits, titled Femlins, after LeRoy Neiman’s cartoon sexpot from the pages of Playboy, have been shown in contexts ranging from band flyers to major international art institutions.
**Priced at $30 in an edition of 50, each tote bag features a Pfahler drawn Femlin batting a seemingly baseball sized Hole logo.**
The Femlin drawing was created at a time when all the galleries were closed due to the pandemic. Pfahler was invited to do a performance in the window of The Hole at 312 Bowery where the drawn image of the Femlin swinging the bat was created.
Referencing monstrous fetishistic femininity, The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black’s cult performances incorporate handmade costumes and props created along the lines of Pfahler’s philosophy of "availabism"—making use of what’s available—with the aim of fostering a radical view of femininity and beauty. The ceremonial treatment of her body in transgressive acts continues to mark the contemporary cultural landscape through her collaborations in film, photography and fashion.
