"Little Deaths" is the latest installment within the narrative of "Canon in Drag," an ongoing project that envisions an alternative Western art canon extending beyond patriarchal influence. This exhibition comprises a series of paintings that skillfully adopt the stylistic elements of iconic artworks while introducing a gender-reversed perspective and altered narratives.

Alluding to the euphemism for orgasm, "Little Deaths" explores the conditions of pleasure from psychological, physical, and cultural perspectives. Drawing inspiration from the rich mythologies of ancient Sumer and ancient Greece, these lush paintings question and provoke, challenging established norms and offering fresh possibilities for the contemplation of the conditions of pleasure.

“Little Deaths” is on view at Galerie RX, Paris, October 14 - November 25, 2023.

Installation view, Galerie RX, Paris (Photo credit Théo Pitout)

**Sacred Orgasm of Inanna (after Titian),** 24”x32”, oil on canvas, 2023

Details of Sacred Orgasm of Inanna (after Titian), 24”x32”, oil on canvas, 2023

**Baubo and Demeter (after El Greco),** 24”x32”, oil on canvas 2023

**Detail of Baubo and Demeter (after El Greco),** 24”x32”, oil on canvas 2023

**Virgin and Child with Saint Hanan and Saint Johanna the Baptist** **(after Leonardo da Vinci),** 24”x32”, oil on canvas, 2023

**Detail of Virgin and Child with Saint Hanan and Saint Johanna the Baptist** **(after Leonardo da Vinci),** 24”x32”, oil on canvas, 2023

Detail of Young Girl with Adult Toy (after Johannes Vermeer), 35”x40”, oil on canvas, 2023 — **Detail of Young Girl with Adult Toy** **(after Johannes Vermeer),** 35”x40”, oil on canvas, 2023

**Young Girl with Adult Toy** **(after Johannes Vermeer),** 35”x40”, oil on canvas, 2023

**The Self Knowledge of Noa (after Giovanni Bellini),** 18”x32”, oil on canvas, 2023

**Fragment of Orgasm Stele of Inanna** **(“Holy Loins”),** 10”x14”, oil on linen, 2023

**Fragment of Orgasm Stele of Inanna** **(after Matisse),** 24”x32”, oil on canvas, 2023

**Sacred Orgasm of Inanna** **(after Rembrandt),** 24”x32”, oil on linen, 2023

**Detail of The Provider (after Rodin),** 18”x24”, oil on canvas, 2023

**Annunciation** **(after Zanobi Strozzi),** 24”x30”, oil on linen, 2023

**Anatomy of Pleasure,** 9”x12”, oil on linen, 2023

Selected Press for Canon in Drag:

ARTNews, Canon in Drag: Female Artists Reimagine Famous Works by Men, Karen Chernick, December 26, 2023

The Brooklyn Rail, Tirtzah Bassel: Canon in Drag, Christopher T. Richards, November 2022

StirWorld, Brooklyn-based artist Tirtzah Bassel presents her new series 'Canon in Drag', Shraddha Nair, November 30th, 2022

Perfil, Clásicos de la pintura contra el patriarcado, Omar Genovese, December 3rd, 2022

BBC Radio 4: Front Row, Artist Tirtzah Bassel's Canon in Drag reimagines art history without the patriachy, July 20th, 2021

The Art Newspaper, Canon in drag: Tirtzah Bassel reimagines art history without the patriarchy, Chernick, Karen, July 7th, 2021

BBC Radio 4: Front Row, Artist Tirtzah Bassel's Canon in Drag reimagines art history without the patriachy, July 20th, 2021

Lilith Magazine, When Women Paint the Truth: Artist Tirtzah Bassel’s Female Gaze, Susan Schnur, November 15th, 2021