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Photograph

C-print

14.00 x 11.00 in

35.6 x 27.9 cm

Edition of 5

Signed, numbered, and dated by the artist on verso

14.00 x 11.00 in

35.6 x 27.9 cm

Edition of 5

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    About The Work

    This limited edition photograph was part of a portfolio created by Bruce LaBruce and given to an investor who supported "The Raspberry Reich". It features performance artist Kembra Pfahler performing one of her most infamous art pieces. Kembra Pfahler is an American performance artist, actress, model, and rock musician. Pfahler's bold and sexually explicit art performance's helped usher in modern day "shock art", and earned her a cult following. She's modelled for Mugler, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Rick Owens, Rodarte, and Helmut Lang. 

    Pfahler's distinct performance look consists of massively-teased black hair à la Bride of Frankenstein, dramatic face makeup with Divine-inspired eyebrows, and her naked body fully covered in boldly-colored body paint. Juxtaposing the vulnerability of her naked body within a horror-tinged shell, Pfahler's aggressive aesthetic and explicit exhibitions boldly confront the viewer. Through transforming her own frustrations with society's treatment of women and their bodies, Pfahler has built her own brand of rebellious, feminist art. 

    The artistic synergy between Kembra Pfahler and fellow provocateur, Bruce LaBruce, is clear. The two share a long-term friendship and this work represents a special collaboration between them. In 2001, Pfahler asked Bruce LaBruce to photograph her infamous "Wall of Vagina" performance before retiring the act. The performance involves Pfahler and her female band members from the VHOKB, all nude and painted in different bold colors, laying stacked on each other. 

    The photoshoot took place in the flower garden of the Highland Gardens Hotel in Los Angeles. This image shows Pfahler (in blue) with two of her friends who participated in the performance piece. The women posing together in a sunlit garden with Pfaler's signature bold look invokes a bizarre, alien-esque ambiance. Recalling imagery of the trio of muses seen in classical Greek art, this threesome look to be the perfect muses for the transgressive LaBruce. 

    Courtesy of Caviar20

    From The Magazine

    • Excellent condition

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    • This work is final sale and not eligible for return.
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