Corpus insolite : Jana Sterbak

Jana Sterbak, a globally acclaimed, Montreal-based artist, has explored power, desire, and the fragility of existence, in works that frequently incorporate unconventional materials. These artworks resonate deeply with themes of mortality, transcendence, and transformation, as seen in both the medical and religious artifacts housed by the museum. For the exhibition, Jana Sterbak and curator Johanne Sloan worked closely together to integrate Sterbak’s artworks into the museum’s exhibition spaces, while also selecting objects to be brought out of storage for the first time.

For example, Sterbak’s internationally recognized Vanitas: Flesh Dress for an Albino Anorectic, (the so-called meat dress), which was first shown in 1987, will be re-made for this exhibition, where it will be seen in the proximity of anatomic models and holy relics. This is thus a unique opportunity to re-discover the work of Jana Sterbak, while encountering the museum’s collections through an artistic imagination.