TRINA MERRY’S SELECTED PRESS CLIPPINGS
“Painting on the body creates a special connection to a person that other visual art forms have trouble accomplishing; it’s a distinctly human experience”
For all press or partnership inquiries please contact:
trinamerry@gmail.com
ABOUT THE ARTIST
New York & Dallas-based mixed-media artist, Trina Merry, is a world champion body painter with a stellar international reputation.
Often compared to legends Pablo Picasso & David Bowie, Trina Merry stands ahead of her time, showing incredible ability to both think outside of the box, and execute stunningly.
Harnessing a broad skillset including sculpture, photography and installation, Trina Merry’s standout work centers on her spectacular camouflage body paint projects, where she has worked with everyone from tech billionaires to musicians to everyday women.
Using a single perspective point, Trina Merry creates a trompe du'oeil flattening effect that either camouflages people into an environment or sculpts them into a background object, using body paint.
Her artwork’s range is unmatched. Performing live on the streets of New York City, Trina Merry blended the bodies of topless women into the Big Apple’s skyline. She produced a new form of ‘guerrilla art’ sculpting human bodies into the ancient Pyramids of Egypt and has also created a human motorcycle.
Challenging Societal Norms Through Nude Body Painting
More than just strokes of paint, Trina Merry’s artwork boldly addresses key socio-economical issues from this era, including body image, gender identity, the environment and materialism.
The freedom of expression and hope within Trina Merry’s nude body painting contrasts sharply with disturbing inequality, insecurity, depression and discrimination broadcast on mainstream and social media regularly in America and abroad.
Never shying away from daring discussions about American consumerism, politics and feminism- her art screams in its vulnerable stillness. She has emblazoned the path for empowered experiential art to coexist with technology whether on the streets or in a museum.
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“I’m brave enough to be who I am in a society that wants women to blend in and become invisible. I want people to be disrupted- I want them to take a breathe and look another person on the street in the eye and know they’re not alone. ”
Caring for Body Paint Models
The process behind Trina Merry’s nude body paintings involve remarkable detail, precision and patience over a long period of time.
Most of her artworks take around 1-3 hours to complete but some of her more complex human sculptures take up to 18 hours to execute.
Unlike paper canvases, the body paint models require a heightened level of care and attention. During live outdoor paintings, Trina Merry considers everything from the body paint model’s comfort to their bodily sweat to their pose. Using water-based body paints that easily wash (or sweat) off, she uses the human body as a surface or brush to create a temporary experience that leaves viewers buzzing.
Empowering Women and Society’s Most Vulnerable
Trina Merry says her camouflage nude body painting artworks aim to empower women and those struggling with mental illness in this fast-paced, pressurized modern society.
“I’m brave enough to be who I am in a society that wants women to blend in and become invisible. We move at hyper speed trying to ‘keep up’ but we are not machines- we created them so we could be better humans,” claims Trina Merry.
She added: “Our detachment from the present moment and our addictions to ‘staying connected’ leaves us more lonely and depressed than ever. It’s incredible what we discover in slow, intimate experiences- we discover ourselves again, our humanity.
“I want people to be disrupted- I want them to take a breathe and look another person on the street in the eye and know they’re not alone. You’re not alone, you’re not invisible, & we appreciate your uniqueness.”
In 2019, Merry created experiences at the Getty Villa Museum, outside the Oculus Plaza and at the Untitled Space Gallery for Tribeca Art night. Driven by her mission to “reclaim the fine art nude in the public space,” the body paint models reflect the true nature of the female body, away from men’s gaze, aiming to inspire confidence and unity among women.
Filling the gap between contemporary fine art world and the modern illustrative bodypaint community, Trina Merry uses the model’s nude bodies to express a raw, vulnerable human experience combined with a liberating and elegant feminine energy that strikes the viewer.
Unafraid to challenge traditional societal rules, Trina Merry’s camouflage works speak a unique language focused on the juxtaposition between the natural human shape and the phallic hard lines of architecture.
Attracting Stellar Reviews from the World Media
Many of Trina Merry's live experiential artworks have gained fame and notoriety around the world. Her camouflage work in New York City which bended the models into the buildings of the Big Apple drew coverage from heavyweight press outlets including The Washington Post and Time Magazine.
The fascinating 'Lost in Wonder' series saw Trina Merry travel across the world to hide body paint models into the seams of the Great Wall of China, Chichen Itza in Mexico, Leaning Tower of Pisa, and other new wonders of the world. Unsurprisingly, the spectacular work attracted media coverage worldwide from PBS News Hour, American Way and the Business Insider, to name just a few.
The New York Post and Daily Mail also commended Trina Merry’s hiding of naked models in beloved famous works by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Vincent Van Gogh.
Special Trina Merry Artwork Available On Sale Now!
As a show of gratitude to art followers, Trina Merry’s store gives art lovers of all backgrounds the opportunity to have her work in their own home through a number of limited edition prints on sale. Don’t miss out!