Shark Fin Swimming Cap

The costume was made by Kate Craig and/or worn in her performances and art-related festivities. 

The Piranha Farms costume was worn by Eric Metcalfe in Piranha Farms, 1978; the Pink Vest was worn by Kate Craig in her performance Young Adults, 1977; Straight Jacket was by worn by Kate Craig in her performance and video of the same name, 1980; Pink Shirt was worn by Kate Craig in her performance and video Pink Poem, 1975; Pink Dress was worn by Kate Craig in her performance Amy Vanderbilt's Valentine's Ball, 1975; Rubber skirts were likely made for Glenn Lewis; and the Shark Fin Swimming Caps were made for Glenn Lewis’s Corres-Sponge Dance School performances. For the latter two works (the shark fin caps and the rubber skirts), Craig used an industrial sewing machine that allowed her to construct pieces using the heavy-duty rubber of truck inner tubes.

The costumes date from approximately 1973 to 1978, which marked the beginning of Craig’s filmmaking and performance explorations. In 1974, Craig performed Flying Leopard in Cates Park and Hornby Island (the Belkin holds her costume for this performance in its collection). In 1975, Craig produced her first video, Lady Brute Presents Her Leopardskin Wardrobe. Also in 1975, Craig and Metcalfe exhibited Dr. and Lady Brute Present Spots Before Your Eyes at Western Front and A Space. In 1976, Craig co-founded The Canadian Shadow Players with Hank Bull, Patrick Ready and Martin Bartlett. From the late 1970s through the 1980s, Craig produced many films, including: Backup (1978), Still Life: A Moving Portrait (screened 1979), Straight Jacket (1980), Delicate Issue (screened 1981), Ma (1986) and Mary Lou (1989).