IN PRAISE OF GINA BEAVERS

With World War Me, at Marianne Boesky Gallery, there is no doubt Gina Beavers is trailblazing a path for all of us.  For many who have followed her career over the past decade, we have come to expect a remarkable degree of innovation and nuance, so this body of work may come as no surprise.  But look closely and this show feels distinctly different, it feels transformative on multiple fronts.  By shamelessly introducing her body into a larger discussion about visual culture, and the endless possibilities of expression via social media, the artist makes herself present as an agent provocateur, as much a catalyst, as she is an insatiable translator or mediator of culture.  Again, look closely and revel in her visual prowess, Beavers is picking up the baton here and embracing it.

Why is this important?  As the fault lines surrounding agency and representation continue to be fraught by a legacy of systemic racism—let us remember the reckoning that is now playing out at the Guggenheim and museums across the country—it is pivotal we not lose sight of what is at stake.  Personally, it’s hard not to think about my 5-year old niece and not be moved by Painting Lee Bontecou’s ‘Untitled 1967’ on my cheek, and People I Admire: Mike Kelly, Ru Paul, Obama, Elaine de Kooning, [and] Madonna, both from 2020.  In the same way my niece wants to transform into the glorious image of Wonder Woman, so do I want to create a better version of myself.  Gorgeously installed, World War Me, speaks to our most basic wants and desires in how we choose to apply makeup, decorate and adorn our bodies, and have fun while doing it.  These striking images are as much about growing and learning, as they are about how we shape ourselves into the people we want to become.    

So you can see how quickly these desires feel heavy when large swaths of the population are denied their most basic rights.  Here, Beavers reminds us of the power of our own image—specifically, who gets to disseminate and control it—and the pivotal role it plays in shaping our communities, and those that are most in need.  With World War Me, Gina Beaver’s is not only entering new territory, she is collectively laying the groundwork through which future generations, and the larger body politic as whole, will be able to see themselves through a kaleidoscopic lens.  That’s real power!

—Steve Rivera

10.17.20