AUSTIN
Richie Shazam Builds a Mythology of the Self in Austin
All photos courtesy of Richie Shazam.
Richie Shazam is on a healing journey, turning herself into dolls in order to remake her own image. In her debut solo exhibition I Was Never Meant to Survive This, which opened last month in Austin at McLennon Pen Co. gallery, Shazam built a fantastical deconstruction of the self through a series of self-portraits composed of tissue-paper vaginas, big-lipped sex doll masks, and streaks of blue paint to render herself feline. To mark the show’s opening, we asked her about self-mythology and what it means to dissect a body that’s always on display.
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When is the work done?
The work is never done! My exhibition explores deeply personal and intimate traumas that I haven’t felt ready to unwrap and bring to the surface. It has taken so much time to feel comfortable unearthing my past and reinterpreting these key moments into something tangible so it no longer festers. It truly didn’t feel like conventional work. It was cathartic—almost a *healing journey.* This work allowed me to dig deeper and to be even more introspective. I am in a constant state of becoming, which always brings new work to the forefront.
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Where do you go when you run out of inspiration?
I usually put my phone down and go outside. I find inspiration in the mundane, everyday, unnatural beauty, and especially the trash of NYC. It constantly pushes me to think and envision outside the box and create art out of literal garbage.
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What are you trying to survive?
What aren’t I trying to survive. EVERYTHING! Trying to survive with composure, and going against making everything look perfect on the IG grid. I’ve always felt like a warrior, but warriors have feelings too. And those feelings can take you out.
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How do you handle rejection?
Rejection is redirection. I just keep moving forward on to the next.
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What’s the most New York thing about your work?
I think my ability to hustle, exchange ideas, and never take no for an answer. These are things that are deeply engrained in the way I work and how I see things. It’s also super important to me to amplify community and bring people together. Launching Shazam Studios has brought so many incredible spirits together in collaboration and helped bring my exhibition to life.
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What did you learn about yourself in the process?
I’ve learned about my artistry and how I want my work to live beyond image-making. Seeing and feeling the potential of what it can be sparked a new sense of excitement in the expansive ways that I can create. The idea of allowing everyone to see the years of built up traumatic experiences was something that I was initially nervous about. I feel a sense of appreciation being able to see the intersections of my identities and honoring how rich the material is.
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Who is your favorite character?
My favorite character would have to be “Sex Doll.” The doll isn’t perfect. She has wear and tear. I was yearning to break down the hypersexualization of trans identities by becoming this limitless figurine that holds power behind closed doors. Placing myself in a custom vinyl bodysuit, massive boobs, tissue paper vagina, and a silicone sex doll mask, I was fully immersed in this fantasy.
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Which of these looks are you wearing to the function?
Depends on what the function is. The one that I can wear seamlessly to any of the functions would be “Kitty Kitty.” She has a certain playfulness that would fit in any room as she also lives in the backyard.
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When do you feel the most confident?
I feel the most confident when I am surrounded by my tribe. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized the power of my home and the people that fill it. At the opening of my exhibition, my loved ones surprised me and came all the way to Texas to celebrate this moment.
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