Monday: Install at The Shed
“It’s exciting to see my work out of the studio and in the context of The Shed—feeling anticipation and excitement in the lead-up to the opening. Making work in isolation and then presenting it to the public makes for interesting encounters. It’s really special when people talk to me at art fairs and share how they're impacted by the images I make. I hope that people can enter this alternate universe I’m creating and leave just a little bit changed.”
Tuesday: Frieze Video Shoot
“I was thrilled to work with the great team at Frieze to shoot a short film about my presentation for the fair, and my practice at large. We filmed indoors then walked around the city together. It was great answering such thoughtful questions about my work, while experiencing the city that I love.”
Wednesday Morning: Fair Prep
“Gorgeous celebratory flowers from the gallery alongside drafts of the catalog for my solo show at The Drawing Center coming up in June, curated by Claire Gilman.”
“Snuggles with my dog, Gaika, before starting my day.”
“Strength training with my personal trainer and friend Alexa Javens at Session gets my mind and body connected; ready for the long day ahead at the fair.”
“Checking in on the patina for a series of thrones that will be included in my show at The Drawing Center. Viewers will be invited to rest upon the thrones and feel as if they’ve entered the atmospheric realms in my paintings. The iron altarpiece in the booth carries the two-dimensional part of my practice into a sculptural place, and is directly related to the first iron sculpture—a gate—I made for my solo exhibition at James Cohan in May 2022. The painting at the center of the booth, The Only Way Out is In, reflects the shapes found in the iron altarpiece. It’s as if a part of the large-scale painting has exited the surface of the canvas and entered the real world. In my practice, painting, drawing, and sculpture are becoming more and more intertwined. I’m learning new languages and new ways to express the ideas I’m exploring in my work.”
Wednesday Afternoon: Frieze New York Preview
“I love seeing my work in conversation with Nan Goldin’s at Frieze. Our presentations directly face one another, and I feel a kinship with her exploration of the sensuous body, both contemporary and art historical, painted and photographed. The booth is situated in such a way where it feels like a natural meeting place between Goldin’s work and my own. The sunlight coming through The Shed’s windows really gives the space a courtyard vibe.”
“It was nice to be in the booth and see people I care about come by.”
“I enjoyed cameron clayborn’s sculptures at Simone Subal—they felt sexy, puffy, and subversive. The piece roompiercer (with a mended form) #4, 2023, really had an impact on me. The sculpture was high up, yet still had so much presence… It was tantalizing. I loved the monumental sculpture by Matthew Ronay at Casey Kaplan. I really gravitate towards his use of vibrant reds and magentas, and sculptural forms that feel very bodily and spirited. Lauren Halsey’s presentation at David Kordansky was, of course, a stunner. The energy in her work is unmatched.”
Wednesday Evening: Fit Check
“For install, I wore a jersey by Martine Rose, pedal pushers from Live The Process, and my dream boots by Dior. To open the fair, I chose to wear a vintage gabardine blazer, circa the 1940s, with some men’s Wrangler denim, separated platform ballerinas from Flat Apartment, and a golden Schiaparelli dove brooch gifted to me by my dear friend Theresa Chromati for my birthday in April. My mom is very much a brooch gal, so I guess now I am too.
For my evening look, to celebrate at my cocktail reception, I wore a bolero blazer from the Jean Paul Gaultier and Lotta Volkova collaboration, a skirt I made out of men’s vintage denim shorts from the brand Samurai Jeans, and an incredible top by Eleen Halvorsen with a bondage-inspired strapped back to mirror the straps in my beloved Dior boots. Anyone who really knows me knows I feel like my truest self in a blazer, so it was important to feel comfortable and like the best version of myself this week.”
Wednesday Evening: Cocktail Party
“The team at the gallery organized a lovely cocktail party to celebrate my solo booth, which is such a sweet thing to do. I’m not always the best at celebrating myself, so it was really special to be surrounded by people who I know and love, but also new people who are major supporters of my work. We had the party at Chez Zou, where I named two signature cocktails: Welcome Release and Fiery Kiss. Guests were stamped with a stamp that I designed—a flaming, winged being—as entry to the party. We ate tiny, tasty foods and lounged in the tropical, '60s space-age cocktail lounge with dim, moody lighting and good vibes.”
