KATHERINE MCMAHON
Habitat is a weekly series that visits with artists in their workspaces.
This week’s studio: Rachel Mason, Long Island City, New York. “I often work in silence or I listen to dance music,” Rachel Mason said, describing her time in the studio. “I used to listen to NPR but then I realized it was something I ignored after a while.” While in her workspace, Mason makes props, set pieces, paintings and various things that will be used within the performance. “When I’m in there it’s usually highly focused and specific for a solid block of time,” she said. “Some of my projects like The Ambassadors or Starseeds were the result of hundreds of hours spent in solitary just sculpting or making molds in the studio.” The Ambassadors project took Mason almost six years to make. Mason’s film The Lives of Hamilton Fish was recently shown at LACMA and will be screened be at Anthology Film Archives in New York on July 21. Below, the artist takes us around her workspace in Long Island City.
ALL PHOTOS: KATHERINE MCMAHON
01
"Papier-mâché figures on ceramic vessels, sitting on paper."
"The base of the Etta James Starseeds sculpture."
"Starseeds, Yoko Ono being repaired on the floor."
Storage and shelving.
"A microphone stand."
Supplies and headdresses from performances, including Alien Suns.
"Posters for The Lives of Hamilton Fish."
"Miniature prisoner dolls from a scene in The Lives of Hamilton Fish."
"Prisoners and Reagan. Also, Noriega with crystallized glazing"
Collage materials.
More collage materials.
"Fidel Castro from The Ambassadors Project—a series of over 100 individual busts of political leaders involved in the wars of my lifetime."
"Tools and supplies around my studio."
"A film still from The Lives of Hamilton Fish."
"Me autographing a poster for The Lives of Hamilton Fish."