Laurie Simmons' "Clothes Make the Man"

For four decades, Laurie Simmons has made a name for herself in the New York City art scene as well as internationally. She is best known for creating and photographing her life-size dolls, ventriloquist dummies, mannequins. With latest exhibition in Chelsea entitled Clothes Make the Man: Works From 1990-1994 she uses her signature dummies and mannequins to create images that explore various personal, psychological, and political subtexts. The show is divided into three individual series: Walking and Lying Objects, Café of the Inner Mind, and Clothes Make the Man.

The first series entitled Clothes Make the Man, consists of six men in the form of mannequins all sitting in chairs and dressed in a variety of outfits including a bathrobe and pajamas, a black suit and tuxedo, or different types of business attire. Their clothes are the only thing that make these otherwise identical men unique emphasizing the extent to which society can judge a person based on how they dress.

Take My Wife by Laurie Simmons

You Better Believe It by Laurie Simmons

Simmons’ Café of the Inner Mind Series consists of mostly large-scale prints featuring male ventriloquist dummies in various settings. Each dummy has a “thought bubble” coming out of his head revealing their simple as well as deepest desires. For instance, Caroline’s Field features a man sitting alone in an open grassy field daydreaming about engaging in a sexual act with two other women. Another image entitled Mexico features a man sitting alone in a dark stairwell imagining himself in a Mexican mariachi band. 

Gold Cafe by Laurie Simmons

Also of note is Gold Café featuring three men sitting together in a restaurant with one man imagining a woman in striped stocking and black heels, another man thinking of an airplane pilot, and the third man is imagining being held by a young woman with the setting resembling an old 1930s or ‘40s classic Hollywood film.

Sitting Turkey Dinner by Laurie Simmons

Walking Tomato by Laurie Simmons

The third series entitled Walking and Lying Objects features five large-scale monochromatic prints featuring female legs in mannequin form who are either sitting or walking with a different type of delectable food representing her other half conveying human craving for various comfort foods. Images that feature seated figures include Sitting Turkey and Sitting Steak Dinner featuring traditional servings of turkey and steak dinners respectively. The images that feature figures walking include Walking Tomato capturing the bright red and ripe vegetable, Walking Hot Dog depicting a juicy hot dog on a fresh bun, and Walking Doughnut depicting the fresh treat topped with sweet, pink icing.

Untitled (Band) by Laurie Simmons

Finally, one image that is independent from the other three series and that feels truly iconic is and untitled small-scale image in which Simmons’ dummies act as the Beatles posing for a photo wearing their distinctive their early ‘60s suits.

At the Mary Boone Gallery, 541 W. 24th St., through Jul. 27. The gallery is open Tue.-Sat. from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.