ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Tala Madani's 'Shitty Disco' at EMΣT Confronts Toxic Masculinity with Grotesque Male Figures

exhibition · 2026-04-22

The National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMΣT) in Athens is hosting Tala Madani's solo exhibition titled 'Shitty Disco,' which will be open until 10 November 2024. This exhibition showcases 50 oil-on-linen paintings alongside stop-motion animations developed over ten years, illustrating grotesque male figures within a dystopian nightclub setting. Katerina Gregos, the artistic director, highlights the focus on redistributing power within patriarchal frameworks. Madani's work critiques toxic masculinity, featuring notable pieces such as 'Pinocchio Plank' (2021) and 'Front Projection (Horned)' (2016). The animations, including 'Music Man' (2009) and 'The Womb' (2019), are displayed across five screens, while the 'Cloud Mommies' (2022-23) series reexamines conventional maternal roles, with Madani's use of scale and light emphasizing social constructs.

Key facts

  • Tala Madani's solo exhibition 'Shitty Disco' is on view at EMΣT in Athens until 10 November 2024.
  • The show features 50 works, including oil-on-linen paintings and stop-motion animations created over more than a decade.
  • Madani depicts grotesque male archetypes such as politicians, performers, and prisoners engaging in vulgar activities.
  • Artistic director Katerina Gregos states the museum's programming aims to reflect on power redistribution and patriarchal paradigms.
  • The exhibition includes stop-motion animations like 'Music Man' (2009) and 'The Womb' (2019), each composed of approximately 2500 still images.
  • Madani's 'Cloud Mommies' (2022-23) series critiques traditional depictions of mothers in art history.
  • Works range in size from 40 cm to over four meters, with site-specific wall paintings and film reels integrated into the display.
  • The exhibition is part of EMΣT's series encouraging women and female-identifying artists to consider alternative visions, prompted by the cue 'What if Women Ruled the World?'.

Entities

Artists

  • Tala Madani
  • Paula Rego
  • James Ensor
  • Francis Bacon

Institutions

  • National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMΣT)
  • Canvas

Locations

  • Athens
  • Greece

Sources