Alyce Haliday McQueen
Alyce Haliday McQueen is an artist and educator in Chicago, IL. Her work delves into the concepts surrounding feminine identity and female stereotypes. She weaves between medias, incorporating photography, video, sculpture, and installation techniques. McQueen’s exhibition record includes group exhibitions at: Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles, CA; The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO; Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL; Filter Space, Chicago, IL; Perspective Photography Gallery, Evanston, IL, and solo exhibitions at: Max L. Gatov Gallery, Long Beach, CA; Lillstreet Annex, Chicago, IL; Kitchen Space Gallery, Chicago, IL; and Wedge Projects, Chicago, IL. She was named an “Artist to Look Out For” by Starry Night Publications and is a two-time recipient of the Puffin Foundation Individual Artist Grant. In addition to her art practice, she enjoys cats and chocolate cake.
https://alycehaliday.com/
Portrait by Tia Mitchell
Stories from Alyce Haliday McQueen
Alyce Haliday McQueen & Ravenswood Elementary
Project Overview
Entering the CPS Lives residency, Alyce Haliday McQueen focuses on aligning her project with the aesthetics of her prior work, emphasizing feminine identity through portraiture and still-life. She plans to create portraits of female-identifying students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade, challenging the conventional childlike portrayal by removing the expected “cute” factor. Alyce contemplates the intersection of serious expressions in children with concepts of maturity and the potential discomfort for viewers. Additionally, she explores still-life compositions with students’ belongings, aiming to highlight the significance of external possessions in shaping individual identity.
Throughout the residency, Alyce maintains a consistent working practice, drawing on her previous weeks’ exploration of ideas. Her commitment to capturing authentic portrayals while questioning societal norms surrounding children’s images underscores her dedication to unraveling the complexities of feminine identity and personal narratives through both portraiture and still-life.
