Art installation titled 'I thought about killing a man' featuring a headless mannequin in a beige dress with black cords hanging from above, surrounded by floral garments on hangers.

Woman standing among four hanging garments in a dimly lit room with a window behind her.

Side-by-side image of a ruffled fabric with black trim and a translucent floral pattern on the left, and a checkered button-up shirt with a large collar and leather label on the right.

Microscopic image of cluster chains of cyanobacteria with thin filamentous extensions on a white background.

Art installation with numerous black speaker cables hanging from the ceiling and a person seated beneath them on a wooden floor in a gallery.

Two-part image showing beige fabric with black and yellow organic vein-like patterns, draped on the left and worn by a person with dark curly hair on the right, surrounded by hanging black cables.

Art installation with white dresses stained pink hanging on a branch and a wall projection of a person walking in water, with a photo of a woman wearing glasses and black clothes on the left.

Art exhibition flyer titled 'I thought about killing a man' by Gurleen Rai with dates January 10 to February 28, 2026, and location Antenna:3718, 3718 St. Claude Ave, against a background of sunlight over cloudy sky.

Three women wearing white dresses standing by the sea, with close-up detail of embroidered white dress fabric.

Collage showing a person wearing a pink-dyed white dress stained along the waist and back, next to a handwritten note about sewing dresses from white cotton sheets that bleed bright pink when wet, dated November 5, 2025.

Close-up of a worn, plaid jacket with faded colors and a large fabric-covered button, displayed on a hanger against a white background.

Close-up of a plaid shirt with a white fabric tag on the left and a worn, multi-patterned jacket on a hanger on the right.

Art installation featuring hanging white fabric with black thread-like patterns and a crocheted shawl, viewed through a doorway with a headless mannequin in the background.

Full-length cream-colored dress with brown and green mottled stains displayed in front of a window, alongside a close-up showing stained fabric and zipper detail.

Delicate sheer scarf with abstract dark pattern hanging from a branch against a light background with a door and lamp partially visible.

Curved knife with wooden handle resting on a moss-covered log displayed on a white pedestal, with a woman in a dark dress standing nearby in an indoor gallery setting.

Person wearing a stained white outfit with a knife in a belt and a tag reading 'I Bring Joy To Women' against a blurred background.

Long white dress with greenish-yellow stains and a black belt displayed on a headless mannequin in front of a window with wooden floor.

Collage with two photos of people at an art gallery and a Polaroid of embroidered textile pieces labeled '2026, the year of the brick'.

Art exhibit with a white wall displaying the handwritten text 'I thought about killing a man' by Gurleen Rai, accompanied by two vases of flowers and a soft sculpture with stitched text.

I Thought About Killing A Man
History has shown that the punishment for a disobedient woman is often swift and violent. The punishment for a woman silenced by fear is slow, excruciating and can echo across generations. This exhibition paid tribute to "bad" women. The kind who chose to be inconvenient and villainous in a society that prizes silence and servitude as the epitome of femininity. It draws on nature as a parallel: just as growth and decay exist in harmony, life and death are inseparable; so too is a woman's rage.
This works in this exhibition were born from uncertainty but faith in the process of creation and the ability for women to come together. It wouldn't have been possible without the contributions and support of collaborators Gabriela Maj, Riley Teahan and Eliza Wapner.

Exhibition photos by Gabriela Maj, Riley Teahan and Jaelyn "Yaya" Hill
Polaroids by Madeline Horta

View exhibition Visual Diary here