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Jorge Clar

Jorge Clar

Jorge Clar

Text Jorge Clar

 

We caught up with poet and performance artist Jorge Clar in his home in New York, and talked about words, sounds, and image. An ideal for living.

Initially, you came to New York because you wanted to be close to the disco scene.
That was the main reason. While growing up in Puerto Rico, I spent my time daydreaming and playing records. I became enthralled with the layers of sound in disco—the music became medicine. Everything about the genre, from the quality of the recordings to the way the arrangements are structured—featuring classical strings and horns, electronic textures, and rhythm—is alchemical. Disco pulled me through my adolescence. A few days after moving to New York in the fall of 1987, I went to the closing of the Paradise Garage discotheque. Larry Levan’s musical selections, and Richard Long’s sound system, were so mind blowing. The clubbers danced with such freedom and expressiveness—I knew right there and then I was home. I had gone to the Garage with Jesse Díaz, my first roommate in New York, with whom I had spent many summers in Puerto Rico, hanging out in discos and constantly listening to music. Through him, I developed a love for dancing and pulling looks together. In the early 90s, I would meet DJ Freddy Turner, with whom I would write record reviews on house music 12-inch singles for underground music magazines, in the process meeting many of my heroes in music, like David Morales, Kerri Chandler and “Little” Louie Vega.

When did you start writing poetry? 
I always loved books, and ever since I started reading authors like Borges, Ginsberg, and especially the short story A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Hemingway, I knew I had to write poems. I remember reading Howl and thinking it was like my stream of consciousness. So I sat down on an old cast iron typewriter my father had given me and started to write, imagining myself a tape recorder of phrases and sounds I heard. My first poetry collection was called In a Singapore Hotel Room. I imagined myself as Somerset Maugham in the Raffles Hotel, which I had visited during a summer vacation, even I was able to get the best hotel credit card. This was one of the first instances in which I was inhabiting a different character in a work of art, something that continues to this day in my performances. Through poetry—and through making cassette mix tapes, which to me were like building blocks of sound and words—it became easier to make friends and demonstrate who I was. I was a very shy only child, and mostly related to adults, until I decided I wanted to be friends with more of my classmates. Initially, I imitated the style and idioms of all that surrounded me, trying to fit in. But I soon realized the more I delved into my eccentricities, the more I had to share. After graduating from Syracuse University, where I studied Newspaper Writing, I eventually started combining between performance and poetry readings. People enjoyed the extra aspect of showmanship. A few years later, in New York, I worked at Penguin Books and started to come together with a group of friends. My friend Douglas Rothschild invited me to read at mythical places like the St. Mark’s Poetry Project. We would organize salons or read at people’s houses. My friend, the playwright Adam Rapp, would perform as a “human prop” with me. Those were formative years. Living with painter roommates Alberto Álvarez, and later Michael Brown—who still shares an apartment with me—has honed my eye for visuals and the notion of what makes a painting work. Hanging out with my college friend Paul Weinstein, with whom I would spend every Friday night and Saturday morning in his Park Slope apartment, focused my appreciation of great graphic design, modernist radios and electronic equipment, new wave music, and all sorts of collectibles.

What else did you learn during those days? 
When my father passed away, I spent 7 years in Puerto Rico taking care of my mom. It was wonderful to relate to her as an adult and also explore other sides of my personality. I became the perfect homemaker and sometimes, when I would see objects from my life in New York, I would wonder where that person had gone. Eventually, I was offered a job at a marketing firm back in the city and mom was well enough to stay with a caregiver. I returned to living in New York full time. At a party, I met my friend Dominic Vine, and he introduced me to the Radical Faeries, a grassroots countercultural movement seeking to redefine queer consciousness through self-exploration. They were founded as a reaction to gay culture towards the end of the 70s. Back then, there was an emphasis on a ‘clone’ aesthetic, which presumed a masculine stance and set of rules. The faeries, on the other hand, established sanctuaries in rural areas where men could explore aspects of their femininity. Becoming involved with them was a milestone in my life. I explored questions about relationships, sexuality and freedom. I discovered there is no “one size fits all” to relationships, for instance. They can be endlessly customized beyond paradigms like ‘husband’ or ‘boyfriend.’ Also, it was around this time that iPhones came into the scene, facilitating the capability of taking photos on the go. Dominic photographed me constantly, and we became collaborators in photo, writing and mix CD projects.

You’ve come a long way. How do you look back?
When I was little, I imagined myself on a dance floor like the one in Saturday Night Fever (I actually did visit the dance floor featured in the movie one Halloween, when my friend Katsumi Miki and I went to the now extant Spectrum disco in Bay Ridge, where the movie was filmed…I danced to Madonna’s “Vogue” on its wonderful lights and cried), moving to the rhythm of disco music and being exactly in the moment. I imagined myself in a sort of monumental stasis, frozen in ecstatic bliss. It heartens me that everything I envision actually manifests. It all becomes true. In my dreams, I wanted to interact with other artists, have lots of records and enjoy life everyday—and here I am.

 


I get the feeling that people are way more focused now on creating, expressing their freedom and celebrating who they are. It’s almost like a statement.’

So you’ve found your peers?
Yes, I think we’re on the brink of a movement. I’m humble and grateful to be a part of it all and facilitate connections between people, supporting each other and working together. For example, I never considered myself someone who draws, and now I do so in a spirit of play and discovery. At my friend Joel Handorff’s place, Kelly Bugden, Scooter LaForge, Van Wifvat and I often get together to draw, and more friends like Rafael Sánchez, Gail Thacker and Gerardo Vizmanos also join in. We like to call these sessions “The Magic Mirror,” where we are all reflections of each other. Johnny Rozsa will often serve as a model. Connections happen serendipitously. I met Bubi Canal when he came to see a performance I did with José Joaquín Figueroa. That meeting led to much collaboration, and I’ve played characters in both Bubi’s and Jose’s video art. Bubi and I meet almost daily to discuss social media and work on projects at Little Skips, a café in Bushwick which we call “the office.” I commissioned a t-shirt with a painting of Allen Ginsberg from Scooter years ago, and that dialogue led to countless painted garments, which I often wear during my performances—both live and in photos—and often within the context of his shows. I wrote poems about the atmosphere of his painting process and they were included in the catalog for one of his shows. Dietmar Busse invited me to his apartment to take my portrait, and from there he has taken many photos which are so dear to me. In Van’s house in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, a Victorian cottage full of good spirit (I think I lived there in a previous life), many of us get together and make drawings and take photos. The greatest beauty of all this is that through creativity, we all have become dear friends who participate in a constant conversation that generates new realities.

What do you think of the political climate of the United States at the moment? 
There’s a lot of political anxiety nowadays. The day after the last election almost felt the same as the day after 9/11. There was this stillness, based on anger and pessimism. A lot of people felt very scared and wanted to leave the country, thinking, for instance, that gays would be more marginalized as a minority group. However, I get the feeling that people are way more focused now on creating, expressing their freedom and celebrating who they are. It’s almost like a statement. Everything has a political implication. It makes art stronger and it is going beyond the framework of what has been before. It’s getting richer and more focused. And it comes straight from the heart. Like an act of magic. Now more than ever this whole idea of following your intuition takes everything to a different level. Do you know the saying that the darkest part of the tunnel is just before the end? Well, I think that’s where we are right now.

And your personal work? 
I have my blog, which is basically a photo-performance as well as a writing project. It’s both an archive of all the personas in my imagination as well as a documentation of the artistic community. I write stories about what I’m wearing on certain days. I explain where and with whom I was when I found a particular shirt, for example. What we were talking about at that moment. What caught my eye and convinced me to buy. Or about the friend who gave me a pair of pants —what he is doing with his life, where he comes from and why he felt he needed to offer me that present. The stories go into the details of what happens every day, in Proustian fashion. My biggest influences in writing are Andy Warhol, 80s nightlife chronicler Stephen Saban, Charles Baudelaire and Bill Cunningham, the late New York Times fashion journalist. On the blog photos, I’m often wearing clothes made by friends, which adds an extra layer to the narrative. I become a mannequin—or a canvas, if you will—for their artwork. The images connect people and events in daily life. I’m weaving together a world that seems recognizable, and yet has a dreamlike quality. Jorge Clar Diary is a never-ending novella.

You make time capsules.
Yes, time documents, literally and figuratively. Like a diary. I’ve always loved diaries because of the way they talk about the small things. I love the idea of giving these tiny details their moment in the spotlight. By doing so, even the most banal thing can become very meaningful. It’s a pure reflection of my thinking process.

Tell me about your work on physical transformation.
When I first came out as a gay man, I was travelling through Israel. I felt very comfortable there, mainly because I was in a different environment. Being in Jerusalem, I could feel the place was very charged. Generally, people go to this city with much anticipation, due to whatever significance they give to to the place, which makes for a particular energy. The only other place that has the same energy is New York City, as people tend to come here with a specific purpose in mind. In Israel, I felt like I could see things within a sense of protection. Up until that point, I had repressed my attraction to men, and it was in Tel Aviv that I had an epiphany and was through with denial. I “came out” to myself. A veil lifted, and after that I transformed very quickly. It wasn’t as much about sexual liberation, but more about freedom of expression. And one of my main tools of expression is through clothing. I’ve always been enamored by an abstract sense of glamour and the epiphanies I often have late at night, when I listen to music. By accessing that magic and expressing it through clothes, I create subtle characters that deliver a message.
People react to this expression. I say this very humbly and with much gratitude: sometimes I am told I give hope. That my work inspires or cheers up the day. I think that’s so amazing. I love walking down the street and having someone smile at me. When one wears even the most surrealistic outfit with conviction, there is almost a air of reverence.

You sound very spiritual. Are you? 
I feel the universe has always taken care of me. I’ve been through hardships, but in the end they made me strong enough to now enjoy every moment. You’re taught to be happy when you have achieved something, but I think it’s of upmost importance to be happy—in other words, to have a generalized sense of wellbeing—and enjoy the process as you go along. If you follow your intuition and are a kind person, things become way easier to navigate. Art becomes very helpful, bringing forth a meditative state. When your work is based on play, more possibilities come to light: you can do and be more. I strive to think constructively, and manage my emotions consistently. When I do what feels good, I know I’m on the right path. I can then manifest with utmost efficiency.

 

www.jorgeclar.com

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Shania LeClaire Riviere

Shania LeClaire Riviere

Shania LeClaire Riviere

Text JF. Pierets    Photos Shania LeClaire Riviere

 

When you’re visiting Provincetown in the summer, you’re in for a creative treat. Every other Friday, performance artist Shania LeClaire Riviere dresses up and takes his work onto the streets to show his latest creation. Art on Shania is a walking art project that combines drag, fashion and visual art in the most stunning and creative Art Stroll. However, Shane/Shania has more than one artistic skill and persuades in numerous different forms of creativity. A conversation with our Et Alors? 16 cover model. 

 

Let’s start with your Art on Shania project. 
Each Friday during the summer, the galleries in Provincetown are presenting new work as part of what has become known as “The Friday Night Gallery Stroll”. I’m walking to some of the galleries and I document my look in front of somebody else’s work, accordingly adding more and different layers to my own creation. 

Why the importance of taking your work onto the streets?  
It was actually a bit of a necessity. The first couple of years I lived in Provincetown, there were many parties but they didn’t start until eleven or later. Because my day job begins so early, especially on weekends, it became more difficult to go out into the wee hours so I decided it was time to find another outlet. I wanted to find a place where I could go and where people could see all the detail I put into my creations. My first experiment occurred at a show in the art museum.  I dressed up and a few older ladies asked me if I was part of the installation. Suddenly it just clicked; I would have a different exposure and appreciation to a completely different set of people; people who would never go to late night parties but who enjoyed art. Basically the audience is whoever is in town. You don’t ask them to be the audience; they are the audience. 

You have a very recognizable look. How does one develop this sort of creativity?  
When I started it was basically what I knew and understood drag to be: meaning that I shaved everything, got a tan and went to the gym…the works! I wasn’t familiar with any other form of drag until I visited a show called Trannyshack in San Francisco. It was like a door that opened when I saw that two out of three performers were bearded men. I started to think about how I could use my natural appearance and it seemed to trigger my creativity. During my research I discovered The Cockettes, the Club Kids, and evolved into my current look – like making your own recipe of macaroni and cheese. 

You call it drag, yet what you are doing is way beyond female impersonating. 
My husband and I came up with the term Drag Fusion; fusing different creative elements together. Certainly during Shakespeare’s time men were called upon to play female parts because women were not allowed to perform. Nowadays there are a lot of different expressions of drag, which have taken it to another level. Men like Mathu Andersen and Ryan Burke, now known for their “gender bent” creations. One of my other inspirations, Leigh Bowery, with his crazy costumes, make-up and performance art was certainly playing with elements of drag. He was labeled a drag/club kid/performer but he basically created art and went to clubs to dance. As far as I’m concerned, I try to take the things I’m inspired by in the fashion world – for example Iris Apfel – and mix them with female impersonator attires and art.

In this issue of Et Alors?, I’m also talking to David Weissman, producer and co-director of The Cockettes. What’s the main difference between The Cockettes and what you are doing, 50 years later? 
The Cockettes were an amazing performance group – very much theatre based – who made a lot of political statements about free love and freedom of speech. As I probably mentioned a lot, they were, and continue to be, a primary inspiration. There is indeed a similarity in the way they dressed and the costumes I’m designing, but what I try to do is take these creative elements and bring them into the fine art world by combining a variety of influences and materials, many from our LGBTQ creative history. For several years I worked for a female illusion show and there is one line by one of the drag queens that stays with me: “It takes a lot of money to look this cheap.” It’s funny in its context, but it certainly takes a lot of money and courage to take trash and make it into a living art piece.

  I was wondering how much of The Cockettes creativity was related to, or possible because of, the drugs they were taking. Can you answer that question for me? 
Of course I wasn’t directly involved with the Cockettes although I believe the documentary and other published reports by their own collective admit to using LSD. How that played into their creativity I’m not sure. My creative experience has been different. It was not until I got sober and moved to Provincetown that I was able to ground myself enough to be open to a new life as an artist. I’ve been clean for over 8 years now and when you are doing something creative, you have to reinvent yourself. A lot of times artists won’t start creating until they feel inspired, but what I’ve come to learn is that even if you just have an hour, you should go for it and try to be creative. Because just by doing so, things can come to you. So I think it’s entirely possible to be extremely inventive without any drugs. You just have to keep the process alive.

You are very versatile and people do tend to label in order to understand both the artist and his work. 
I don’t see that as a problem. Take Karl Lagerfeld for example; he’s a fashion designer but he also does art pieces with Marina Abramovic, he takes photographs and makes films, while using the best cameras and photography implements from sites like HotRate online. I don’t think a lot of people would consider Shania as art and even less compare it to a fine art painting, but people make a lot of things that a lot of people don’t consider art at all. There are even people who don’t consider photography art. 

How important is appreciation?
It’s important to the level that it reinforces my work. I’m sure it’s very discouraging if no one understands what you are trying to say. With Art on Shania I get both positive and negative responses. Some people don’t get it and some do not think it’s drag. Some are intimidated by it, but as soon as they understand I’m not an aggressor they get interested: “The piece is talking back!” I get everything on the scale but if one person likes it, it’s worth it. As an artist, I think that whenever you get the slightest positive feedback, you want to keep going. 

 

 

‘My first experiment occurred at a show in an art museum.  I dressed up and a few older ladies asked me if I was part of the installation. Suddenly it just clicked.’

You are creating a lot of different things. Are they stand-alone art forms or is everything linked? 
Certain aspects of my artwork are all linked. My first show in Provincetown was called There’s no Shane, only Shania and I had painted self-portraits of photographs I had taken of my old drag looks. Later on I got more involved in photography which led me to taking my camera everywhere with me, which resulted in several documented series. All my work is connected but is not all about drag. Yet for the majority I’m the main subject of my art.  

You just released a photo book called Out The Window. 
The series is linked to the start of my career in Provincetown in April 2009 when I got a job as a live-in housekeeper at a Bed & Breakfast. House boys, they called us. I had a tiny little room with one small window but with the most amazing view over the entire bay. It became my home for four and a half years and I pretty much created everything I made in that particular room. And I produced a lot! Actually I made so many things it was like living in a closet, with all the make up, costumes, hot glue guns, etc., cramped into that little chamber. When I got married and was about to move out, I started photographing the window every day until it represented the seasons. I needed to document my connection to that view and that window where I spent numerous hours looking, wondering where I was going and what I was going to do. It was almost like a spiritual connection.

How important is Provincetown itself when it comes to your artistic endeavors? 
This is probably the community in which I feel most comfortable. There are a huge number of galleries and over time a lot of famous artists came here to work. The community supports all different kinds of art, artists and LGBTQ creativity so I feel safe. I would never feel safe leaving a party in NY and walking home, dressed in the provocative costumes I’m making. When it comes to art I’m sure I could do this anywhere. I just think that, regarding my comfort level, the two work perfectly together. I may feel more endangered somewhere else. 

What would you say to someone who’s inspired by your work and dreams of being such a flamboyant artist as yourself? 
I probably would say: “Just start somewhere”. Start drawing, painting watercolors, dressing up, because until you start the process of creating, you won’t be able to find your voice. And keep going! In the end you will find the creative elements that feel comfortable and the ones that don’t. That’s when you start to develop a voice. 

Did you find that ultimate voice? 
I have an esthetic so I think I do. But then again I hope it doesn’t always stay the same because I like change and I want to evolve. I know for sure that it has a signature and that people can look at one of my creations and know, “That’s Shania!” 

Is that your goal? That people are recognizing your style? 
I think so. I don’t plan on having any kids but I would like to leave a stamp on the planet. Everybody wants to be remembered somehow and I don’t know many 44 year olds dressing in drag fusion. I’m also hoping to inspire people. Not only to be creative with drag, but also to be able to do it whenever they want to, because it doesn’t have to be limited to a specific event. Being able to do that is a statement; it’s allowing your creativity to come out, to express yourself and to grant yourself some freedom. Just go! It’s not that big of a deal, and it certainly doesn’t impact the world in a negative way. 

To order Out The Windowwww.blurb.com/outthewindow

 

www.shanialeclaireriviere.com

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Et Alors? magazine. A global celebration of diversity.

The Vivid Angel

The Vivid Angel

The Vivid Angel

Text JF. Pierets

 

She’s the queen of alternative performance, won the Twisted Cabaret Crown World Burlesque Games in 2014 and is this edition’s cover model. But most important, sometimes you just meet one of those people who make you think YAY! 

 

How does one become a performer? 
When I was 20 I moved to Amsterdam and started my performance career. At a certain moment I’d done so many things, as a dancer and artist I had been on television for so many times that I wanted something different. I was working with Torture Garden and they asked me to come to London, because of all the work I would be able to do. So I went. I’m living here for 16 years already despite my intention to stay only for 2. Back then there used to be not as many performers as there are today. I’m talking about the year 2000 now. I guess we had about 10 or 15 really great performers. So I was always working, always abroad. Nowadays it looks as if there are way more people wanting to be an artist then 5 years ago. And as it usually goes, the party promoters rather fancy a lot of girls for less money than one or two very professional ones with a normal salary. But I’m not complaining. The year just started and I already have a good list of new assignments and bookings.

There’s a lot of burlesque these days, which is completely different than performance art. 
There is a lot of burlesque and a lot is the same all over again. I guess it gets the audience and promoter confused and they don’t quite recognize the stylings anymore which goes from performance art to cabaret to burlesque. For me those are all different kinds of shows. I do wish that those younger performers would do a little research. Looking what other people do, or have done, and trying to be a bit more original. Really find your own stories and styling for you shows, it gives for a longer career.

Can you specify what it is that you do? 
I call myself a ‘Jack of all trades’. I basically started out as a dancer in the beginning of the nineties, being a full time gogo dancer on Dutch television. When the rave scene commenced I danced at biggest house parties and finally ended up working in a fetish store called DeMask. 3 month later I found myself on a stage with my own show. A show performed in the fetish scene in which you can just ad that twitch of extra darkness to the act. Compared to a mainstream production, that is. In my first show someone laid dead on a bed, a second person would cut open the body and I would jump out as some kind of revenge spirit. For me it was a very important point in my career because I got to work with the artist called Crazy White Sean. We were both beginners when it came to performance art but we really felt each other when it came to designing new shows. 10 years later they called us ‘the most famous couple in the fetish scene’, he emerged into freak shows and I became The Vivid Angel. I’ve been performing at the largest festivals, in the biggest clubs. I worked with Alice Cooper, Dita Von Teese, Roger Taylor, you name it. I did and still do very exciting things. 

Do tell!
I have a show called Art Noir where I’m creating a painting, live on stage, by using syringes and injecting coloring pigment through my skin. This particular show has been reviewed as ‘suffering for your art’ and you can take that quite literally. I’m going through a pain phase to manufacture that painting. Most of the time those kind of shows are my favorite ones because they are not about entertainment. I generate this surreal world where I try to bring the audience in an atmosphere that’s out of their comfort zone. But no worries. I also have an entertaining side to my personality and I also love doing shows where I can make people laugh, where all is beautiful. 

That’s very bilateral.
That’s why I chose to use The Vivid Angel as my name. The vivid is my dark, weird, crazy side and the angel is the sweet, fun and sexy appearance. I always felt those two features both in my being, as in my performance career. 

Both mainstream and non-mainstream? 
There are not many non-mainstream performance artists. I have the feeling not many people dare to be confronting or extreme nowadays. I have this show about school bullying which you can, by all means, call autobiographical because those were terrible years. Doing that show really get’s to people. Some say after the show that they didn’t like it, while months later they confess that after doing some thinking, it really got to them. And I think that’s the difference between performance art and entertainment. What I do is not only beautiful and easy to digest. But I do hope the tendency will once again reach back to performance art because it’s an honest and very emotional art form. And if well represented, it’s one of the most beautiful things you can witness on a stage. I always find it very interesting to hear what people encounter after seeing my shows. I have my opinion about it and I’m always pretty sure the message is quite clear, yet that’s not always the case. When I was doing my Art Noir show it always astounded me what people made of it. One woman even told me it was about the circumcision of African women. And although I’m listening with amazement to these stories, they are ok. If she get’s that message and it get’s her to think about the phenomenon, that’s ok. As an artist you have to live with the fact that people project there own horrors, joys and everyday life issues to your work. That’s the beauty about being a performer, unconsciously you touch certain spots which you never would foresee. People don’t have to like you when you are on stage because it’s nice to encounter the challenge to get them excited and curious about the world and environment you are creating at that particular time. Whether it’s beautiful, ugly or scary. It keeps me humble and appreciative for every given moment that I can share my art, even after 20 years. 

20 years is a long time. Are you still performing fulltime? 
Not fulltime, no. Since long I’ve been writing a theatre play involving acting, video and word, which I love to exhibit in a small theatre or gallery. The piece itself is about the tide of life and the rolling about until that one moment where you just break through boundaries and limits. I’m also planning to write a book about my performances and myself. The crazy situations I’ve been in and the ludicrous moments I’ve encountered. But also hints and tips for people who have the ambition of being an artist. Next to that I’m working on a book about Crazy White Sean, whom I’ve been telling you about, and who sadly passed away recently. 

Aren’t you going to miss the stage? 
Well, I won’t quit entirely because like they say, ‘there’s no bigger addiction than a stage’. Over the 20 years on the podium I had busy and less busy times. And of course in those fewer active junctions you start longing to get back up there. I read a note the other day, stating that if an artist stops performing or painting, he or she commits emotional suicide. And that’s very true. The hunger to throw out your sentiment will always be there. Luckily I have more tools at my disposal than only being a stage performer. It’s time to project my energy into other creative outlets. Maybe I’ll take up painting again and combine it with performance, who knows. There are many ways to go and  there’s no lack of activity or inspiration in all those future plans. It’s time to note down some document. Time to take some further steps. I still like working in clubs but I became more selective when it comes to locations and people I want to work with. People who know me and respect my work. But I came into a phase in which I don’t necessarily have to be everywhere. I think I became way too experienced to drop into yet another small club where nothing is arranged and not one thing you asked for is at hand. That said, the stage keeps on being the best spot to exorcist my demons. 

Otherwise you might have been a serial killer. 
O goodness, who knows? But having a creative outlet, which you don’t respond to, eats you alive in the long run. That’s true. 

When I look at you I don’t see the average diva. 
And glad not to be! I might be a Queen, but I not a diva. Every time I go on stage, it feels like the first moment all over again. And to be honest, I don’t want to get used to it. I have artist friends who are ‘just going through the moves’, I would hate that! It makes you very humble when you have to promote your own shows to the venues. The show is just part of the whole package. You have to do your own bookings, write your own invoices, make the deals, etc. And sometimes that’s a pity because it stops you from being entirely, exclusively creative. Which sharpens the pink edges that would normally smoothen the transaction between you and your audience. But.. if you have the opportunity to be a full time artist, it’s a beautiful choice to make. 

 

 

‘Every time I go on stage, it feels like the first moment all over again. And to be honest, I don’t want to get used to it. I have artist friends who are ‘just going through the moves’, I would hate that! ’

Talking about choices, your performances have a lot to do with physical pain. Why does one do that? 
When I first began I never thought I was about to start using needles and syringes. I was more the horror-effect and illusion kinda gal. It was always fake. But when I came to London and got to work with Miss Behave and Lucy Fire we designed a witch show. We all had our own ‘powers’. Lucy was good with fire, Amy swallowed swords and I was into blood effects. But then the others decided to begin the show with putting out a cigar on your tongue. And although I didn’t want to do it, I was kind of pushed into it. After a while I thought it might be great to actually master those skills and I started practicing. Slowly I started to intervene little things into my own shows and that’s when I got the question to perform a freak show. In 2005 there was this movement where people were really interested in seeing freak shows performed by woman, and there weren’t many performers fitting the bill, so there you go. I think once you’re able to cross the boundaries of pain, you’re capable of doing a lot of things. Needless to say the first time I stuck a needle in my arm was pretty weird. I’m not a masochist at all and the ‘pain versus pleasure’ concept is wasted on me. But I realized I could take it, and all of a sudden it was more of a ‘mind over matter’ thing. As soon as I realized that my mind is stronger than my body and that my mind has control over my body, I was able to take it to the next level. I like it when people can see that I’m actually in pain in order to create my art. That said, I must be honest and confess that I sometimes terribly injure myself during one of the shows.

What does such a thing to your body? 
Well of course I have to be very careful with what I do. I never drink alcohol before a show because if you become less attentive or arrogant, you can really hurt yourself. But then again, some things are beyond your control. Fire for instance. You have quite little influence on fire, if you start to think about it. Fire does what it does and you have to learn to work around it. In my entire career I got terribly burned a couple of times. On my mouth, my arms, by just being that itch too quick or being a tad too negligent. Or people from the club that are leaving the airco on, well, you know what happens then. I also use a lot of piercings and staples on stage and like my boyfriend always says: ‘It doesn’t make her prettier’. Over the few years I gained so many scars that it’s quite a sight when I get a tan during summer. When people tell me they are interested in performing these kind of shows, I always ask them if they are ready to get marked. When you stick needles in your skin or you jump on broken glass, you always have to keep in mind that there will come a day when it goes wrong. Once I was unable to walk for 3 months because I cut my foot that deeply. Let’s say there’s a price to pay. 

You must have developed a different view on external beauty.
A few years ago I involuntarily got into a fight. They knocked me down and I hit my head on the street, there was a big jaw in my face and my front teeth were in pieces. I had a lot of photo shoots for catalogues going on in that time. And I remember waking up, scared that all was finished and things could never be restored. But of course it does. And what I learned is that beauty doesn’t come in a framework. It’s what you carry in your soul. If you manage to be happy with whom you are, if you have self-esteem, than that’s your most attractive feature. My outer shell doesn’t really matter to me. Let’s say I grew out of it. I don’t look like the average woman yet I find myself in the possession of an interesting face. People love it or hate it and therefor beauty is not something that I dwell on. What I love to hear from people is that I have charisma when on stage. And that’s the main thing as a performer, isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, I always want to look good and want to make a good impression, but I know I will never be your typical Burlesque beauty.

Are you happy?
I really am. I lost a lot of beautiful friends in the past two years, which made it a very emotional ride, and I experienced a pretty rough childhood. But I use that sentiment in my art. I try to develop all those bumpy roads and negativity into a story that I hope people can use for the good. But like I said, I made some changes recently and I would like to cut down to one show a week instead of three, and take more time to write my play and my book. Discovering new horizons and looking for people who want to join me in this new adventure. 

Exciting times!
O yes! And I’m scared shitless! But if I have to choose one thing I really would like to accomplish, then it’s that theatre play. Last year I was able to work with the English National Opera House on Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte and that made me really proud. It was literally a dream come true to stand in the West End. Every time I went up those tube escalators I faced all these production posters of those big shows and I always thought ‘one day!’ I was so proud to work with such a solid firm and with all those award-winning professionals. And the Coliseum theatre is so beautiful that I started to cry when I first entered the stage. It is very different you know, performance art and theatre. And I hope I learned enough to make my own interpretation. It’s scary, but it’s something I really have to go for, how nerve wrecking it might be. So ’Put your head down and get to it girl!

 

www.thevividangel.biz

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Criaturas

Criaturas

Criaturas

Text JF. Pierets    Photos & concept Criaturas

 

Criaturas is the name Saskia De Tollenaere and Olivier Desimpel gave to the world they created for everyone who dares to dream. An experience concept where their passion for theater, art, fashion, beauty, spirituality and emotion merges in the form of unique celebrations and parties. Each time they create a new universe, their artists bring the concept to life. Especially for Et Alors? Magazine they created one of Criaturas’ amazing photoshoot. Needless to say we are very proud to feature these gorgeous images, so we asked them about this unique world of theirs.  

 

Where did you get the name? 
When we studied fashion at the academy, we got a lot of inspiration from movies by Pedro Almodovar, Tim Burton and David Lynch. Our graduation collections therefor had a high theatrical atmosphere.
Saskia The red thread in my graduation collection was the female seduction in all its facets. It was named ‘Criaturas de la ultima seduçion divina’. When we started our company about a year later, it was immediately clear to us that the name Criaturas = beings / creatures perfectly encompassed what we created.

When did you start?
Olivier My graduation collection was a Victorian funeral procession marching through the old city center of Ghent. It was a hot day in June 1999, the terraces were packed so we had a large audience. Someone asked us why we didn’t bring such act in the events sector. In those days there was very little entertainment, except for the clown, the magician and the music band so that’s how we found our stage. Later on it expanded to total concepts.

What was your first project?
The theme of our first big event was From Hell to Heaven. It was an interactive concept where guests first had to endure the journey through purgatory and hell, to end up in heaven via the gardens of Eden. 50 artists performed as witches, devils, satyrs, angels, nymphs, all the creatures symbolizing good and/or evil. It was inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, dripped in a David Lynch atmosphere.

What’s your best project until now?
Each concept is like a child, therefor impossible to choose between them. The most innovative are our Tableaux Vivants, because the guests not only step into a painting, but also become part of it.

What’s the most amazing thing you ever did? 
Putting a smile on someone’s face or seeing tears of wonder. The fusion of the illusionary world and reality. Technically, it is perhaps the hell-heaven concept in the beginning of our career that was the most daring. With the resources we had in those days, it was litteraly a ‘hell of a job’, yet it gave us the confidence that we could handle everything from then on. Take for example the Cotton Palazzo-event where we hung 3kms of white curtains in an abandoned, open cotton mill during a storm. The result was.. heavenly! Currently we are organizing a party where we actually build a location with 75 large sea containers This is undoubtedly the most amazing project until now.

What’s the most amazing thing you ever want to do? 
To let our world make a journey as an avant garde healing theatre. A mix of beauty, spectacle, interactive acts, unity and spirituality.

Where lies your main interest? 
To live life in the full. With love and all its beauty.

Tell me about the photoshoot? 
The time had come to take a new direction in terms of acts and costumes. We needed a new challenge and wanted to put more emotion and story in our creations. The spiritual message we wanted to convey was that every individual is beautiful with his own style and image, and can perfectly blend in a society where originality is appreciated. In nature, the bird with the most colorful plumage is the most successful match. Among people; far too often gray and colorlessness is considered normal. For the photoshoot we have created very different characters and looks, and made them party together. By giving them names like The Storyteller and The White Knight, we give a hint of the story they tell, yet we allow the viewer to have his own dreams and fill in the blancs. The photoshoot is also the start of our traveling avant garde theater so for us it’s a preview.

 

 

When it comes to costumes and accessories, yes, we make everything ourselves so it is absolutely unique. We use couture, ethnic and antique fabrics, vintage and antique ornaments and applications. Therefor our costumes radiate luxury and history.’

Do you actually make everything yourself?
When it comes to costumes and accessories, yes, we make everything ourselves so it is absolutely unique. We use couture, ethnic and antique fabrics, vintage and antique ornaments and applications. Therefor our costumes radiate luxury and history. I’m always looking for material with a high dose of craftsmanship. Both at flea markets and the worldwide web. I also like to learn new skills such as origami and kanzashi, which I used in our geisha costumes. Also the art of making hats, for which I get professional help of our makeup designer, is an enrichment. We also design the graphics, invitations, special props and floral decorations for our concept events.

Where do you get your inspiration?
History, movies, fashion, nature, dreams, life and we inspire each other.

You also have your own jewel collection? 
Yes, and not only jewelry and accessories but also home decoration, interior design and art. My jewelry collection; DTS for lovely creatures, originated at the request of a couture shop that wanted to offer bespoke jewelry to customers. So each time I use a lot of jewelry that’s been personalized make a suitable jewel for a particular cocktail or evening dress, it developes into an extensive collection in different styles. Along with Olivier, I also design for our O + S studio, which are mainly interior designs such as lighting, furniture and accessories. We always make unique pieces, we do not like mass production. Our favorite challenge is to create something customized for the clients. Watching someone’s character, personality, style, experiences, dreams, .. and design something that he or she represents. This way of working has led us already to design very spiritual things for customers.

Don’t you ever think about starting your own fashion collection? 
No, during our fashion studies, we dreamed of designing haute couture collections because of the theatrical aspect. Back then, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen were our heroes. Yet we don’t want to get stuck in the commercial circuit where we have to take trends, rules and sales figures into account. Frankly, we just want the freedom to create whatever we want. My favorite aspect of the job is that every day is different. I feel blessed that one day I can come up with a concept and put it into shape, and the next day I can make a costume or work on my jewelry collection. I can live my inspiration and imagination without restrain. I rarely feel that I ought to do something and therefor can start each day with full passion and love for what I do.

Tell me about your future dreams? 
When it comes to realization, Criaturas is our child and we would like to see it grow and inspire others. Also the opportunity to work with famous artists or filmmakers, so we can reach more people internationally, would be a goal. And later on… a house on a hill, with a lot of animals, surrounded by nature. That would sound good.

 

www.criaturas.eu

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The Cabaret Switch

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The Cabaret Switch

Photos Sin Bozkurt

 

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Name Marnie Scarlet
What Getting under Le Pustra’s skin

I have known Le Pustra for a number of years now and I have always valued and admired him as a person and a multi-faceted visual artist. We appreciate each other’s style which both compliments and contrasts. I love the inner strength of his various characters, the dark and melancholy aspects, as well as the beautifully executed make-ups and outfits. When Le Pustra approached me with the idea of a Cabaret Switch, I was honored and excited. We started laying out the plans and asked good friend and experienced Cabaret photographer, Sin Bozkurt to immortalize the project. We have both worked with Sin before and he understands both our characters very well. We decided to swap two of our Looks/Characters. We both have a pop-culture icon based act in our oeuvre: for Le Pustra that’s a phenomenal Klaus Nomi act, for me that’s a tribute to Marilyn Monroe in Warhol style. It was amazing to be transformed into le Pustra and to be transform by him in return. Quite spooky and magical. During the shoot we truly transformed into each other’s creations which was an amazing creative process. When some of the photos went up on our respective Facebook sites, it actually did cause confusion as to who was who, and what was going on. The reaction we wanted!

 

Name Le Pustra
What Wearing Marnie Scarlet’s (shiny) skin

I approached Marnie regarding this concept in late 2013 as there are so many similarities between our public personas. I thought it would be interesting to portray each other and see what happens. I really adore her visual style and skill as a latex designer and visual artist. Marnie was very happy to be involved and we decided on switching our ‘icon’ characters e.g. Klaus Nomi and Marilyn Monroe – both latex – and our signature ‘Marnie’ and ‘Le Pustra’ looks, e.g. the Pierrot clown and Rubber Dolly. Photographer Sin Bozkurt agreed immediately to be part of the project and we even used our favorite studio in London. I think it was quite tricky to do each other’s make-up and it was interesting to find out how well we knew our own faces. Yet doing our own face on someone else, was definitely a challenge. Marnie even made a latex outfit in my size to wear as her Rubber Dolly. How wonderful was that? Since she has let me keep it, there might be a chance you may spot a slightly larger Marnie running in the streets in the near future. I must confess how much I admire Miss Marnie for wearing her, sometimes restrictive, latex costumes. The amount of effort and thought she has put into those designs. I don’t know any other artist whose work is so detailed and so clever.Bravissima, Marnie! Collaboration between artists can be such a rewarding experience and Marnie is one of my most favorite people on the scene as she is just brimming with talent, color and energy. And she has a heart of latex gold. I would work with her any day and look forward to see how she evolves over the coming years. I expect nothing but greatness from the First Lady of Latex. It was a fun experience being someone else for a day.

 

www.marniescarlet.com
www.lepustra.com

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