60-61 MollyCrabapple

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Molly Crabapple PHOTO AERIC MEREDITH GOUJON

By Elizabeth Bissette Molly Crabapple is a lot like her art work; original, vibrant and inspired. Her art collectively seems to form a marvelous, surreal peep-show and, though only 26, she’s a rising force not only in the New York art scene, but in art communities all over the world via her Dr. Sketchy’s Anti’Art schools, now in 96 locations. Her new graphic novel, Scarlett Takes Manhattan, has just come out on the heels of her clever and entertaining Dr. Sketchy’s Rainy Day Activity Book. Her work has also been featured in “Weird Tales” and is going to be included in Marvel’s upcoming “Strange Tales MAX” Indie anthology. She’s also contributed to “The New York Times” and a number of other publications. Ms. Crabapple recently travelled to ComicCon and also organized the first SketchyCon earlier this year. People came from all over the world to, “meet each other, sharpen their skills and stir up a little mayhem.” Ms. Crabapple said in a recent interview with Newsarama.com. Molly is arguably today’s Queen of Neo-Burlesque, a popular part of nightlife in New York and other cities. Events draw huge crowds and Dr. Sketchy’s has recently been organizing some in Times Square, broadening the audience in an innovative way. Today’s Burlesque shows range from showcases of dancers to grand spectacles including acrobats, magicians, comedians and circus performers. It is not unlike it was when it began as a launching pad for Vaudeville and, in some instances, Vaudeville itself. Like now, the other periods in history that have embraced burlesque have been times of political upheaval and socio-economic inequalities. Examples of this are the heyday of the Moulin Rouge, the staid façade of the Victorian Era, the Edwardian Gibson Girl, and the Follies that foiled the grim realities of the 30s. Burlesque is a way to escape from reality, to distract, entertain, amuse and excite. Ms. Crabapple has created a new dimension for us to escape to and placed doorways to it across the world. By doing this, she has helped re-define Burlesque for our time. The fine art world begins to shift a little too. “I started reading books about Paris in the mid to late 1800s and was inspired by them. They got my mind churning; why not have that? I looked for something like it but found nothing. So I just did it. You can create the New York you want each day. In my dream of New York, artists aren't isolated in studios or ivory towers. I want an art world that's fun and talent-loving and decadent, a 21st century Montmarte.” As an artists model she had romantic expectations but found the reality dull, de-humanizing and not particularly well-paying. So, along with friend A.V. Phibes, she created Dr. Sketchy’s. She describes it as, “a 60 • Fine Art Magazine • Fall 2009

Dorian Deconstructed, 2007

place where models could make a fair wage and express their amazing personalities, while sketchers could partake of that pseudo-bohemian atmosphere so many of us went to art school for." Now her events are often sold out and receive 5 star reviews. She’s interjecting new life into art scenes everywhere, and is fast becoming a classic. “The schools are very diverse.” Molly says, “The definition of a flamboyant underground performer is different in Singapore than in San Francisco; each is influenced by the people running it and the theme around it. "We comb New York to find the most glamorous and subversion underground celebrities. Then, twice a month, you guys get to draw them. Did we mention you can also drink?” Thus says Molly Crabapple. Her paintings are a little like Lautrec’s were. As he was, she is immersed in a Fin de Seicle scene and renders it. “Lautrec didn’t do the classes,” she laughingly reminded me. Ms. Crabapple paints the New York scene in a sensual yet often sarcastic and a little sinister way. Though quite different in execution, her work is a bit Goya-like with subjects caught unawares in private moments. The moments are sometimes beautiful, sometimes grotesque. Though in some ways light hearted, many of the visions


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