MICHAELA PAUL
2020 | Acrylic | Vintage Mounted Photo | 36” x 30 x 4”
I found this large photo mounted on board in a “junk shop”. The subject made me think about the secret life some people must live to survive, and/or to keep other people happy. This is especially true in the time this photo was taken. The inspiration for this was my neighbor at my art studio who looked mostly like a man, but much like a woman. When Michaela and I met for a studio visit she told me she’d always thought of herself as “half-man” and explained some of the painful challenges of being born in the wrong body.
I named this piece after her with the wish that all of us would wear a boa every now and then and feel comfortable in our skin. Michaela Paul is a celebration.