Mae West

This is an ongoing body of work.

Termed “Mother Superior of the Faggots” by film critic and author Parker Tyler, Mae West (1893-1980) was a playwright and actress whose films are rumored to have instigated the Film Production Code, censoring works in an effort to uphold ‘moral standards of decency.’ 

West began her career on the vaudeville circuit, eventually writing her own starring roles in works like, Sex (1926), The Drag (1927), and Diamond Lil (1928), playing strong, empowered, and sexual roles in each. At the start of the Great Depression, West ventured out to Hollywood, beginning her career in film at the age of 39. 

In the 1950s, West turned to Vegas, starring in a nightclub act in which she sang and danced alongside beefcake models, using signs and props to accompany West’s sultry moves and suggestive songs. 

West’s final films included Myra Breckenridge (1970) and Sextette (1978). Both films played off of West’s long-running stage gags and over-the-top persona. West was particular about the way she was filmed and helped to perfect the embellishment and adorning of her body in space alongside her set dressers and costumers. 

Set piece after Mae West’s Swan Bed. 2025. Imitation gold leaf, paper mâché on cardboard and wood, hand sewn sandbags. 6 x 9 x 5 ft.