Partners in Art is proud to support Bestie Mart by Cleopatria Peterson, who explores the labour of print, accessibility and commodity through humour. With the rising cost of living, many common goods have become out of reach for most people, particularly groceries. Using the motif of a supermarket, Peterson re-imagines the supermarket as a site of access and justice, where once again our basic needs can be met. Needs such as gender-affirming hormones, reparations, and safety become accessible through consumable objects offered at Bestie Mart at low low prices. 

Audience members are invited to experience a different kind of world that is possible: Girl & Boy Juice, inspired by conventional grocery store setups, invites visitors to engage physically with stacked juice boxes filled with “gender juice,” aimed at addressing the challenges associated with obtaining gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Saltines flavoured with white tears are available for easy-pick up. In an ideal world, these vital resources would be as accessible as everyday items in a store

What if we could simply go to the store and obtain the things we need without experiencing systemic barriers, financial and otherwise? The artist asks you to consider this through their use of these familiar printed objects, asking, “Bestie, can you put a price tag on those -isms, on existing in the world as a marginalized person?” 

Photos by Felicia Byron