Pray for Chic

[r]Self Portrait as Elvis No. 3, 2013[/r]

As part of unofficial fashion month at The New Inquiry, we present a selection of images from Andrea Mary Marshall's hot and heterogeneous body of work. The artist, 30, is a Bushwick-living autodidact who performs icon worship with the twisted élan of a latter-day Mary Magdalene.

Her latest two person show with Lucas Grogan at Garis & Hahn (open through Oct. 19), has her layering the personas of early Elvis with the boilerplate beauty of geishas. Below, selected images intercut composite statements, derived from email and phone conversations between Marshall and me.

--SNP

 

[r]The Re-Birth of Venus Issue, 2011[/r]

See more of Marshall's work at her site here

“Art is Spiritual.  I am eternally committed to Style.  Devoted to the Goddess.”

 

[r]Self-Portrait as the Virgin Surrogate as the Bride in Chanel, 2011[/r]

“Nowadays pop-culture feels a little 'Insert Anybody.'"

 

[r]Self-Portrait as Gia Condo with Beef Carcass, 2012[/r]

“Sophia Loren is a bomb(shell).  Miley Cyrus is a bore.”

 

[r]Self-Portrait as Venus de Milo, 2013[/r]

"Toxic Women are toxic to themselves. They are Tragic Heroines who blow dry their own wounds. I aspire to be the opposite. To be a truly intoxicating woman you must have a backbone, good morals, good intentions, and a good whip."

 

[r]Self-Portrait as Gia Condo as the Trashbag Mona Lisa, 2012[/r]

"When I'm not performing or posing for a portrait, I dress by undressing. Less is more."

 

[r]Self-Portrait as Barbaric Barbara on the Cover of Vague, 2011[/r]

“Gossip is a sin. Overexposure is a saint.  My best friend always reminds me, 'When you seek people’s approval, you are their prisoner.'”

 

[r]The Burqa Issue, 2011[/r]

"I was hesitant to exhibit the Vague magazine series because I thought it was mean spirited. Too critical. Also too much fun.

All 100 Vague covers were done in 7 long, long nights. A mad bender.

Susi Kenna, the curator of Toxic Women, stayed up with me, she was very supportive …and we watched The Kardashian wedding special and listened to 50’s music ( I think)…"

 

[r]Self-Portrait as Rosemary Myst with Balloon Dick, 2011[/r]

“I have a crush on Jeff Koons and on Rosemary Myst.”

 

[r]Self-Portrait as Gia Condo as Guerilla Girl, 2012[/r]

“Self-Portraiture made sense to me when I started feeling Bananas.”

 

[r]Self-Portrait as Rosemary Myst with Cigarette Trinity, 2011[/r]

"Self-Portraiture is the craft. I make self-portraits. I am less concerned with medium and more concerned with the message. The personas I create are altar-egos. I live with them. I am them. They inspire me and they distract me. I am most tortured by Gia Condo. I am most fond of Rosemary Myst."

 

[r]Self-Portrait as Gia Condo as the Main Course, 2012[/r]

"People have too much taste these days. I pray for chic. I approach everything with an open mind and a sense of humour; everything and everyone has beauty."