Machine Dazzle and his assistant Emma Bizzack – photos by Marilyn Kirschner
Machine Dazzle’s debut New York gallery exhibition, “Obsession and Evidence,” opened on New Year’s Day at AP Space, a contemporary art gallery in Chelsea. To mark the occasion and celebrate the multidisciplinary artist’s 52nd birthday, arts philanthropists Andrew Martin-Weber and Barbara Tober hosted a small private lunch, followed by a cocktail reception at 4 p.m.
Exhibition
Machine Dazzle, the 6’7″ American costume designer, set designer, performance artist, and drag queen, born Matthew Flower, is known for his excessive and fantastical camp. The genre-defining self-taught artist describes himself as a “radical queer, emotionally driven, instinct-based concept artist trapped in the role of costume designer, sometimes.” “I was always the tallest and the gayest,” observes the award-winning downtown legend, innovator, and Pulitzer Prize finalist.
A multimedia sculpture titled “Memory.”
Machine Dazzle is known for creating fantastical costumes, sets, and installations from found objects and recycled materials. He describes his studio as a visceral wonderland filled with furniture, lights, things, and materials that inspire the absurd and sublime.
“My work takes everyday objects and transforms them conceptually, changing their intended function. My fondness for found objects has taught me to see them uniquely. Here, I turn trash into treasure.” Machine Dazzle
An installation featuring AI Images
MD re-imagines discarded materials as fossilized artifacts in this show, exploring the relationship between waste and art. Accompanied by AI-generated imagery, the works prompt viewers to consider how artificial materials transition from lifelessness to life and reflect on the abundance of non-biodegradable garbage in our world. Ultimately, this installation is about seeing things in a new way.
Gilded Bullets
One of Machine’s favorite pieces in the show, which ends on January 15th, is the impossible-to-miss quartet of enormous gilded bullets that greet you upon entering the gallery. They were created after the UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooting last month. Machine has given them names. “Defend. Defame. Depose. Dance.” As he put it, creative people are not just inspired by good things.
Among the other standouts is a multimedia sculpture titled “ Memory.” The dominant shape is foam. Other objects are plastic screens, plastic flower parts, pearls, and pins. This particular piece is a favorite, using a technique that Machine Dazzle is experimenting with. The shapes are made by injecting expanding foam into knit objects like hats, mittens, socks, and toys. The foam takes on the texture of the weave/knit.
The guest list was eclectic, and many heavyweights from the art world were in attendance. Included were Phoebe Legere, pioneer of multidisciplinary art; Jean Park, owner of AP Space Gallery; Tim Rodgers, director of MAD Museum; Elissa Auther, chief curator of MAD Museum; and RoseLee Goldberg, art historian, author, critic, and curator of performance art.
Lynn Yaeger, Patrick McMullan, Nicole Miller, Kim Taipale
Also, American furniture designers Dakota Jackson, Justin Vivian Bond, Ron Chereskin, Lynn Yaeger, Dusty Childers, Michael Musto, Nicole Miller, Kim Taipale, Austin Scarlett, Jon Marder, Marc Rosen, Sharon Hoge, Patrick McMullan, Fashion 4 Development’s Evie Evangelou and a diminutive 90-year-old legend in Korea who makes dolls and goes by the Instagram handle, “unstoppable_umma.”
The dress code could best be described as “downtown artsy.” Many guests were apparently inspired to bring out their inventive and colorful sides on the first day of the New Year.
Marilyn Kirschner in vintage Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garcons and Gillian McCain wearing Dries Van Noten
It was hard to miss Julie Sandler in stop-the-traffic green Prada. For the Comme des Garçons puffer jacket and matching fishtail skirt, I chose a favorite vintage Junya Watanabe.
Joan Belmar, Phoebe Legere, Julie Sandler, Joel Friedlander
Phoebe Legere, the Juilliard-educated composer, artist, painter, poet, musician, filmmaker, performance artist, and community arts advocate, wore pants made from an iconic piece of art gifted to her by legendary artist Roy Lichtenstein.
Lynn Yaeger wore her signature Simone Rocha uniform. When I asked what she looked forward to in fashion, the subject quickly turned to Matthieu Blazy at Chanel. Lynn interviewed Matthieu last month and said he is very laid-back, down-to-earth, and talented.
Lynn said she was surprised that he was offered the job and even more surprised that he accepted it. As to what Matthieu will do? Lynn thinks the Chanel runway will look one way and the stores another.
I agree.
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