Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

FAUX BONES

Date

2017

Materials

AIR DRY CLAY, PAINT

No. Pieces

18

Description

A. FEMUR BONE WITH RED COLOURING. HORIZONTAL CRACK NEAR BOTTOM OF BONE, STAINING FROM FAKE BLOOD PRESENT THROUGHOUT, BLACK HAIR STUCK ONTO BONE BY FAKE BLOOD. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 5.5CM H X 36.7CM L X 8.3CM W B. ULNA BONE WITH TUFT OF HAIR AND RED COLOURING. ENDS OF BONE ARE WHITE, STAINING FROM FAKE BLOOD PRESENT THROUGHOUT. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 5.3CM H X 29.6CM L X 5.1CM W C. TOOTH WITH RED COLOURING. TWO SPOTS OF FAKE BLOOD ON ONE SIDE OF THE TOOTH AND INBETWEEN ROOT. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.5CM H X 4.6CM L X 1.7CM W D. TOOTH WITH RED-GREY COLOURING. FAKE BLOOD ON GROOVES ON TOP OF TOOTH. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.6CM H X 4.2CM L X 2.0CM W E. KNUCKLE BONE WITH RED COLOURING. BLACK STAINING ALONG EDGE OF BONE, SPOT OF FAKE BLOOD ON ONE SIDE OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.6CM H X 5.1CM L X 2.5CM W F. KNUCKLE BONE WITH RED COLOURING. SPOTS OF GLOSSY STAINING ON SIDE OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.4CM H X 5.0CM L X 1.7CM W G. KNUCKLE BONE WITH PURPLE-GREY COLOURING. DROP OF FAKE BLOOD ON TOP OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.5CM H X 4.7CM L X 1.9CM H H. KNUCKLE BONE WITH RED COLOURING. DARK STAINING ON ONE SIDE OF BONE, HAIR STRAND STUCK ONTO BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.8CM H X 4.5CM L X 2.7CM W I. KNUCKLE BONE WITH PINK COLOURING. BLACK STAINING ON BOTTOM OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.8CM H X 4.4CM L X 1.7CM W J. KNUCKLE BONE WITH MINIMAL COLOURING. SMALL BLACK DOT ON TOP OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.8CM H X 4.4CM L X 1.9CM W K. KNUCKLE BONE WITH MINIMAL COLOURING. BLUE AND RED MARKINGS ON ONE SIDE OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 2.0CM H X 4.1CM L X 2.0CM W L. KNUCKLE BONE WITH RED-GREY COLOURING. BLACK STAINING AND MARKING ALONG EDGE OF BONE, SPOTS OF GLOSSY STAINING NEAR BOTTOM OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.6CM H X 3.6CM L X 1.7CM W M. KNUCKLE BONE WITH PURPLE COLOURING. SMALL RED STAIN NEAR EDGE OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.5CM H X 3.9CM L X 1.8CM W N. KNUCKLE BONE WITH MINIMAL COLOURING. SMALL DOTS OF FAKE BLOOD ALONG TOP CURVES OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.8CM H X 3.9CM L X 2.0CM W O. KNUCKLE BONE WITH PURPLE COLOURING. RED MARKINGS ON ONE SIDE OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.6CM H X 4.7CM L X 1.6CM W P. KNUCKLE BONE WITH ORANGE AND PINK COLOURING. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.7CM H X 1.6CM L X 1.6CM W Q. KNUCKLE BONE WITH PINK-GREY COLOURING. BLACK STAINING ON TOP AND BOTTOM OF BONE. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.3CM H X 3.2CM L X 1.4CM W R. KNUCKLE BONE WITH PINK COLOURING. VISIBLE FINGERPRINTS IN COLOURING. OVERALL VERY GOOD – EXCELLENT CONDITION. 1.6CM H X 3.0CM L X 1.6CM W

Subjects

PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT DEVICE

Historical Association

LEISURE

History

ON MARCH 11, 2024, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN, KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED DEONIE HUDSON REGARDING THEATRE OUTRÉ’S DONATION OF A PINK WIG, CURTAINS, FAUX HUMAN SKULL ON STAND, ASSORTED FAUX HUMAN BONES, AND A FLORAL HEADPIECE. DEONIE HUDSON, AT THE TIME OF THE INTERVIEW, WAS WORKING WITH THEATRE OUTRÉ FOR EIGHT YEARS; STARTING AS AN INTERN, RESIDENT DESIGNER, INTERIM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, AND FINALLY INTO THE PERFORMANCE COORDINATOR ROLE. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS DERIVED FROM THAT INTERVIEW. HUDSON EXPLAINED WHERE THE FAUX HUMAN BONES WERE USED: “…THOSE [HUMAN BONES] WERE A PART OF A SHOW THAT [THEATRE OUTRÉ] DID CALLED ‘THE CURING ROOM’, WHICH AGAIN WAS ANOTHER [SHOW] THAT WE DID IN A FOUND SPACE. IT WAS A CO-PRODUCTION WITH ‘THEATRE BASEMENT’ WHICH WAS A COMPANY THAT WAS OUT OF CALGARY. THEY WERE A HORROR THEATRE COMPANY, AND SO WE DID THIS PRODUCTION WITH THEM. BECAUSE THEIR MANDATE WAS HORROR, AND OUR MANDATE WAS QUEER THEATRE, WE FOUND THIS BEAUTIFUL SCRIPT THAT WAS ABOUT SEVEN SOVIET SOLDIERS, AT THE END OF WORLD WAR 2, WHO WERE CAPTURED BY THE GERMANS, AND STRIPPED NAKED, AND LOCKED IN THE BASEMENT OF A MONASTERY. IT’S A TRUE STORY! AND [THE SOLDIERS] WERE FOUND SOMETIME LATER, (WE DON’T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT OF TIME THEY WERE DOWN THERE, BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T KNOW), AND MOST OF THEM DID NOT SURVIVE. THEY CANNIBALIZED EACH OTHER. IT’S A WILD, AND CRAZY, AND INTENSE PIECE. AND IT WAS THE FIRST [SHOW] THAT, WHEN JAY, WHO WAS THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AT THE TIME, WAS READING THE SCRIPT, AND WAS PICKING THE SEASON, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE CAME TO ME AND SAID, ‘I NEED YOUR INPUT BECAUSE I CAN’T DO THIS SHOW IF YOU CAN’T DO THIS SHOW,’ BECAUSE IT WAS SO HEAVY IN PROPS AND PROSTHETICS. AND, BECAUSE YOU’RE DEALING WITH SEVEN ACTORS THAT ARE COMPLETELY NUDE, THERE’S NO PLACE TO HIDE A LOT OF THE BLOOD PACKS AND THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY DO. SO, IT WAS A VERY, VERY CHALLENGING PIECE, AND [JAY WHITEHEAD’S] LIKE, ‘IF YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE YOU CAN DO IT, THEN WE’RE NOT GOING TO DO THE SHOW.’ AND I READ IT, AND I WAS LIKE ‘WHEW, THIS IS GOING TO BE TOUGH, BUT I LIKE A CHALLENGE.’ AND SO, WE WENT FORWARD WITH [THE SHOW], AND IT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE, PROUDEST PIECES. IT WAS PERFORMED IN THE BASEMENT, BELOW WHERE [THE STORE] ‘TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES’ WAS ON 5TH STREET…” ON HOW SHE CREATED THE FAUX BONES, HUDSON RECOUNTED: “…SO, THESE PIECES ARE ALL BONES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FROM VARIOUS ACTORS AS THEY WERE KILLED THROUGHOUT THE SHOW AND EATEN. SO, THERE’S AN ULNA, A FEMUR, SOME KNUCKLE BONES, AND SOME TEETH THAT ARE ALL HERE. I SCULPTED ALL OF THEM AND THEY’RE ALL ANATOMICALLY SCULPTED FROM THE ACTORS. SO, THE ULNA IS THE LENGTH OF THE ACTOR’S ULNA BONE, AND THE FEMUR IS THE LENGTH OF THAT ACTOR’S FEMUR BONE, SO THAT THEY WERE AS ACCURATE AS I COULD BE WITH THAT. THE KNUCKLE BONES, AND THE TEETH, ARE SLIGHTLY ENLARGED JUST FOR VISUAL SIGHTLINES FOR THE AUDIENCE. BUT BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO CREATE SUCH AN IMMERSIVE FEELING, AND THE AUDIENCE WAS SO CLOSE TO EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE STAGE, I FELT THAT EVERYTHING NEEDED TO BE AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE…” HUDSON STATED: “…IT’S ALL VERY GRUESOME, AND VERY HORRIBLE, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY A REALLY BEAUTIFUL STORY. BUT I AM ALSO A HORROR FAN, SO IT WAS A VERY FUN CHALLENGE FOR ME TO DO THOSE THINGS, AND THOSE PIECES, AND TO BE ABLE TO TELL A STORY THAT WAS REAL. AND TO ‘WOW’ AUDIENCES, AND HAVE [HAD] A FEW TIMES WHERE WE HAD TO ACTUALLY TO PAUSE PRODUCTIONS BECAUSE PEOPLE FAINTED, FROM THE SIGHT OF THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING ON STAGE, WHICH - THAT MEANS YOU’RE CREATING A REAL EMOTION IN PEOPLE. YOU’RE CREATING A REALITY THAT COULD BE VERY CHALLENGING TO DO WITH A SCRIPT LIKE THAT…” HUDSON CONTINUED ON HER SHE CREATED THE BONES: “…IT’S LIKE A SCULPTING CLAY. SO, THEY’RE HAND SCULPTED AND THEN [I] BAKED [THE BONES] IN MY OVEN. AND THEN PAINTED THEM WITH THE GORE, AND WHATNOT… (THIS WAS THE SECOND FEMUR THAT I MADE), THE FIRST TIME IT CRACKED WHEN I WAS DOING THE BAKING PROCESS SO, IT ACTUALLY HAS A TIE IRON ROD INSIDE… TO GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT EXTRA STABILITY, BECAUSE IT WAS, WIELDED AROUND, AND SWUNG, AND STUFF, AND [PRODUCTION] DIDN’T WANT IT TO BREAK…” HUDSON COMMENTED ON WHICH ACTORS THE ULNA AND FEMUR WERE SCULPTED AFTER: “THE ULNA WOULD HAVE BEEN (I CAN’T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD). THE FEMUR WOULD HAVE BEEN, I BELIEVE, GRAHAM MOTHERSILL…” HUDSON COMMENTED ON WHAT DREW THEM TO THEATRE OUTRÉ AND STAY ON AFTER INTERNING: “…ONCE I GOT INVOLVED IN [THEATRE OUTRÉ], IT WAS THE COMMUNITY, AND IT WAS REALIZING HOW MUCH THE QUEER COMMUNITY IN LETHBRIDGE NEEDED A SUPPORT SYSTEM, AND BEING ABLE TO BE A PART OF THAT WAS REALLY WHAT DROVE ME TO CONTINUE ON, AND TO FIGHT THROUGH COVID, AND MONEY, AND, LIKE, ANYTHING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO JUST KEEP THAT COMPANY GOING, AND TO KEEP BEING A PART OF IT, AND FEELING THAT LOVE, AND THAT JOY, THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDED, AND GIVING PEOPLE THAT SPACE TO BE THEMSELVES, AND TELL THEIR STORIES.” ON HOW LETHBRIDGE DIFFERS FROM BIGGER CITY CENTERS, HUDSON STATED: “…WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN LETHBRIDGE IS SO ANOMALOUS IN THE QUEER COMMUNITY THAT IT COULD ONLY EXIST HERE… THERE’S SOMETHING SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS CITY, AND BEING IN A PLACE THAT, IN ALL THEORY, SHOULD NOT BE A PLACE THAT QUEER COMMUNITIES SHOULD THRIVE… BUT THE COMMUNITY IS SO STRONG, AND SO WONDERFUL, AND THE COMMUNITY THAT SURROUNDS IT IN THE ALLIES IS SO WARM, AND LOVELY, AND ACCEPTING, THAT IT HAS ALLOWED QUEER PEOPLE IN LETHBRIDGE TO REALLY THRIVE, AND REALLY BECOME SOMETHING THAT DIDN’T EXIST BEFORE. IT’S LESS UNDERGROUND…” HUDSON CONTINUED: “…YOU HAVE POCKETS OF QUEER THINGS THAT HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, YOU’VE GOT YOUR CLUBS, OR YOUR THEATRES, OR YOUR THIS, OR YOUR THAT, AND [THEATRE OUTRÉ] WERE ALL OF THOSE THINGS ROLLED INTO ONE, BECAUSE THAT’S JUST THE WAY THAT IT WORKED HERE.” ON MARCH 20, 2024, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN, KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED JAY WHITEHEAD REGARDING THEATRE OUTRÉ’S DONATION, SPECIFICALLY THE PINK WIG AND FAUX HUMAN SKULL ON STAND. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS DERIVED FROM THAT INTERVIEW. ON CREATING SPACE FOR THEATRE OUTRÉ IN LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA, WHITEHEAD EXPLAINED: “…PART OF THE IMPETUS TO CREATE ‘BORDELLO’, WHICH BECAME ‘CLUB DIDI’, WHICH BECAME ‘DIDI’S PLAYHAUS’, WAS TO BE MORE VISIBLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND TO CREATE A SPACE THAT WAS NOT JUST FOR THEATRE BUT FOR, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL INTERACTION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND PERFORMANCE…” WHITEHEAD CONTINUED ON THE BORDELLO VENUE: “…I THINK IT WAS LIKE 2012-2013, WHEN WE FIRST GOT THE ‘BORDELLO’ SPACE ABOVE ‘THE OWL’, AND WE WANTED TO DO QUEER THEATRE, AND I HAD WRITTEN A PLAY WITH MY FRIEND, DANIEL JUDES, FROM GRAD SCHOOL, CALLED ‘UNSEXED’, AND WE NEEDED A VENUE. AND THAT WAS KIND OF THE REASON WHY WE TOOK THE VENUE, BUT ALSO, WE THOUGHT WE COULD CONTINUE TO FUND THE VENUE BY DOING OTHER EVENTS LIKE DRAG CABARETS. AND THAT WAS WHEN ‘DIDI’ WAS BORN, OUT OF THAT DESIRE TO MAINTAIN A VENUE, AND A SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY, THAT WAS IN THE HEART OF THE CITY!” THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS DERIVED FROM THEATRE OUTRÉ’S WEBSITE “ABOUT US” PAGE: “…THEATRE OUTRÉ IS A PROFESSIONAL THEATRE COMPANY BASED IN LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA, FOUNDED IN 2013 BY FORMER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JAY WHITEHEAD. THEATRE OUTRÉ IS A LEADING OUTLET FOR ALTERNATIVE AND QUEER THEATRE IN ALBERTA AND THE PRODUCER OF THE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL QUAINT, QUIRKY & QUEER CABARET & FESTIVAL (FORMERLY PRETTY, WITTY & GAY). THEATRE OUTRÉ ALSO PRODUCES A SERIES OF IMPROV SHOWS THROUGH IMPROMPTOU AND PROGRAMS DRAG SHOWS AND OTHER QUEER-FOCUSED EVENTS AT THE OWL AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY…” FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE 18 FAUX HUMAN BONES, DONOR SUPPLIED IMAGES, THEATRE OUTRÉ’S FACEBOOK AND WEBSITE, OR TO SEE FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTIONS, PLEASE SEE THE DONATIONS PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20240003004

Acquisition Date

2024-03

Collection

Museum

Less detail