A Different Kind of Art: Elaborate Debauchery

Back on Memorial Day weekend, I drove from San Francisco in the wee hours of the morning after only catching 3 hours of interrupted sleep (a big "thank you" to my shitty fuck neighbor who can't seem to learn how to be quiet) to Reno to be apart of some really amazing art magic.  The five hour drive through some pretty heavy rain and then snow (SNOW! In May!), I ended up at my friend and artist extraordinaire Franz Szony's home to be in his new photographic painting.
Franz, if you haven't already Googled his name or don't know his work, you should and will.  To sum up, he is superlative, creating work that breaks out of the bland, safe and by-the-numbers schlock created by fame seekers who call themselves "artists" but don't do anything for art except making really great work stand out easily. 
Anywho, I met Franz back when we both attended art college, and shortly after meeting him he asked me to model for one of his photography projects.  I said yes, because deep down, I love playing dress up and pretend.  It's a great way to indulge, in an adult way, my inner child...the loud, energetic, powerful little girl who dreamed of becoming an artist and a paleontologist and believed, for a short time, that the Moon was white because that's where all the Unicorns lived.
Below is Franz's latest fine art piece entitled "All or Nothing," which debuted at his one-man show Hapenis at Project One Gallery in San Francisco this past July.
This video is a behind the scenes look at the process, the people, the artistry of being on a Franz Szony shoot, shot by the talented Johnny B. Hicks.

"All or Nothing" by Franz Szony

The end result: there I am, in a very expensive dress on loan from Furne Amato (who does wicked fun with clothing design like nobody's b'dness), Franz's Marie Antoinette wig he created himself, and his "Hocus Pocus" jacket.  I call this woman "Marie Antoinetta" and yes, I was really thinking about how to steal that wig.  So there is Marie Antoinetta, holding gold chains and what were roses(and were changed to hygraneas) in this elaborate debauched gilded cave filled with her sad memories, chained to her will, but surrounded by all the dead relationships she's destroyed or let collapse. And look at those poor folks...they are on the verge of death and are still forcing themselves to act happy. (Such great models)
For me, seeing this in its completed form, is such a masterpiece, I'm in such awe of him.  I've seen Franz change and evolve over the years and this is so flawless...I love it.  I'm proud to have been apart of this.

What is not shown is Johnny B. holding my waist so I could get the proper lean back pose, which I was having quite a bit of trouble doing because the dress was, of course, a size too small, and there was no way I wanted to pop a stitch or a gem off of that piece of magnificence.  It was exhausting, but goddamned if I was going to miss an opportunity to spend time with someone I have great respect and love for, helping Franz create his art.  I am blessed and am always humbled when I see his work, and more, the work I'm in, because it's not so much that he has the ability to make me look smokin' hot (and feel like a billion muthafuckin' dollars), but I get to be creative in a way that I don't actively do anymore.  It's truly some of the most fun I have, being on a shoot for him.

Dankë schön to Franz and the super talented and generous folks who helped make this possible.

Song of the moment: "Survivalism-remix" by Nine Inch Nails with Saul Williams
Color obsession: Raspberry
Word that make ya sma'ta': Superlative