Marek Ther's 'Mabel' exhibition at Galerie Eskort explores alias identities and transvestism in Czech context

Marek Ther presented an exhibition titled 'Mabel' at Galerie Eskort in Brno from January 10 to February 25, 2003. The show investigated the complex dynamics of using aliases and alter-identities in artistic practice. A central photographic portrait depicted a mature woman dressed in 1930s clothing, installed behind ropes like a precious museum artifact. This presentation deliberately critiqued institutional preciousness surrounding art objects. Accompanying the portrait was a video showing 'Mabel' in her humble home, offering uneasy monologues without an interviewer. The video revealed the character's isolation and nervousness before the camera. Ther's work consciously avoided typical associations with transvestism like drag spectacle or deviance. Instead, it presented a tender, grievous perspective distinct from Nan Goldin's 'The Ballad of Sexual Dependency' photographs. The exhibition gained particular relevance within the Czech Republic's limited tolerance for difference. It examined how transvestites often create aliases to navigate society while remaining confined to private spaces. Ther's approach questioned desires for fame and power in male-dominated structures. The artist frequently adopts female or gender-ambiguous personas in his video works. This exhibition specifically explored the benefits and complications of alternate identities.