Malena Magnolia 

Portrait of a Chameleon Fashionista – Michael 

Charcoal, Acrylic, Water Media Collage on Panel 

2013.1.1 

(from the Celebrate Queer Milwaukee Series) 

Visual description: This piece is a vertical, partially geometric work done predominantly in shades of orange, tan, green, white, and black. About halfway down the work shows two figures (the same individual depicted in two different poses) with glasses and close-cropped hair in turtlenecks next to a chameleon on the left. The bottom of the piece is finished with diagonal lines in black, brown, animal print, green and white, some of which form triangles.

This painting is by Malena Magnolia, who graduated from UWM in 2013 with a BFA in Drawing and Painting. According to their bio, they are “an interdisciplinary artist whose work has explored topics related to social change while utilizing painting, printmaking, public art, and social practice.” This particular piece was created for a series called Celebrate Queer Milwaukee, where Magnolia and fellow artists Allison Eve Mollet and Alexandra Hawley celebrated the LGBTQ community of Milwaukee through their individual art practices. More information and an archive of this work can be found at celebratequeermke.tumblr.com and Magnolia also has their contributions up on their website (see below). 

Want to know more about Michael? Here is what Magnolia told me: “Over the last few years he has worked as a stylist and fashion merchandiser. He loves mixing prints and patterns. Michael compared himself to a chameleon in regards to his adaptability of self–expression, but also in the various sides to his personality.” 

I really love how Magnolia included two different poses for Michael, showing two different sides of him and giving a sense of the adaptability of his self-expression that he conveyed to them. This innovative nuance breathes a certain vitality to the conventions of the portrait genre and gives a fuller sense of Michael than a one-pose portrait might allow. The addition of the chameleon also brings theses ideas full circle and allows for a bit of wonderful whimsy—which I very much enjoy. Hopefully this beautiful celebration of Michael brightens up your day today! 

You can find Magnolia at their website: http://malenamagnolia.com/ 

Or on Instagram, @malena.magnolia