How the removal of our work from an exhibition lead to more solid resolve and new awareness.
“Muse” Exhibition Interview on Metaphor, Gender, and Collaboration
This summer, Niki and I were awarded an alumni artist residency at Columbia College Chicago. For two months, we used the gallery as our studio and then transformed it back into a gallery for the exhibition of photos, costumes, and set installation. During the…
MUSE: Reinterpreting “Follies Bergere”
Behind the scenes of shooting on location… and getting the giggles.
MUSE: Shooting Ophelia
Over a year ago, Niki and I started looking at John Everett Millais’ painting “Ophelia” from circa 1851. We weren’t clear on a location for the shoot, but as part of the Muse series, we were especially drawn to Millais’ depiction of graceful femininity…
Lips, Nips, and Gallery Exhibits
A glimpse at the humor inherent in our collaborative process.
“I Don’t Like Art About Art!”
A woman at a gallery opening once respond to the Valpincon Bather photograph by proclaiming, “I don’t like art about art.” My recoil, barely disguised by years of engrained Midwestern politeness, quickly shifted to pensiveness. As the lady toddled on…
Muse: Reimagining Magritte
There is an undeniably performative element within the process of making the Muse photographs. The process leads Niki and me along a multitude of collaborative journeys, most of which are dance-like and humorous in nature. For Magritte’s Magie Noire, we painted a…
Muse: Shooting Venus
Constructing the Shell We often get questions about the Birth of Venus shell. Despite living in Chicago with lots of theaters and prop houses, we figured the search to find the perfect shell was more effort than just making one…