Artist: Bailey Scieszka
Exhibition title: The Feather Mantle
Venue: Freddy, New York, US
Date: August 5 – 26, 2017
Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and Freddy
Freddy is pleased to present The Feather Mantle, a solo exhibition by Detroit-based artist Bailey Scieszka.
Bailey Scieszka considers clowns to be painted people. In her cross-media practice combining drawing, installation, writing, and performance, Scieszka incarnates Old Put, a shapeshifting demonic clown. Challenging the conventions of reality, Old Put embraces a responsibility common to clowns and artists: sweeping up viewers from the monotony of their daily lives. The Feather Mantle presents Old Put’s story of finding and keeping an angel’s wings so she cannot return to heaven. Inspired by the Noh drama of the same title, Old Put parodies this tale with Bratz dolls, ancient alien theories, and The Annunciation to create her own schizophrenic mythology.
Bailey Scieszka was born in 1989 in Royal Oak, Michigan. She lives and works in Detroit. She holds a BFA from the Cooper Union in New York City. She has recently shown with Maria Bernheim (Zürich), What Pipeline (Detroit), Bahamas Biennale (Detroit), Bed Stuy Love Affair (Brooklyn), and LOMEX (New York). Her puppet dramas have been performed at Paris Internationale and NADA New York. Her work has been featured in Novembre, Foundations, L’Officiel Art, Keen On, and Tages Anzeiger. Much of Scieszka’s work emerges from the mind of her alter-ego Old Put, a demonic, shapeshifting clown whose works across performance, video and drawing are layered with popular reference.
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle, 2017, exhibition view, Freddy, New York
Bailey Scieszka, The Feather Mantle: Painted in Blood, 2017, Colored pencil and glitter on paper, 12 x 9 inches
Bailey Scieszka, Stabbed in the Butt, 2017, Colored marker and glitter on paper, 18 x 24 inches
Bailey Scieszka, Ripped Wings, 2017, Colored marker and glitter on paper, 14 x 11 inches
Bailey Scieszka, The Monster Wore Annunciation Face Paint, 2017, Colored marker and glitter on paper, 24 x 18 inches
Bailey Scieszka, Feather Mantle Old Put Doll, 2017, Mixed media, Dimensions variable
Bailey Scieszka, Feather Mantle Old Put Doll, 2017, Mixed media, Dimensions variable
Bailey Scieszka, Feather Mantle Old Put Doll, 2017, Mixed media, Dimensions variable
Bailey Scieszka, Feather Mantle Old Put Doll, 2017, Mixed media, Dimensions variable
Bailey Scieszka, Feather Mantle Old Put Doll, 2017, Mixed media, Dimensions variable
Bailey Scieszka, Feather Mantle Old Put Doll, 2017, Mixed media, Dimensions variable
Bailey Scieszka, Feather Mantle Old Put Doll, 2017, Mixed media, Dimensions variable
Bailey Scieszka, Stabbed Faygo Mask, 2017, Colored pencil and gilt on hotel stationary, 8.25 x 6 inches
Bailey Scieszka, Angel Baby Bratz, 2017, Colored pencil and gilt on hotel stationary, 8.25 x 6 inches
Bailey Scieszka, Stabbed Angel Poppers Puppet, 2017, Colored pencil and gilt on hotel stationary, 8.25 x 6 inches
Bailey Scieszka, Baby Angel, 2017, Colored pencil and gilt on hotel stationary, 8.25 x 6 inches
Bailey Scieszka, Freddy, 2017, Colored pencil on paper, 11 x 8.5 inches