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Visual History:
Elle Muliarchyk
Elle Muliarchyk is a multimedia artist. Born in Belarus and raised in Vietnam, Prague and California, Muliarchyk was discovered seven years ago by The New York Times for “Dressing Rooms,” a series in which she sneaked into the changing rooms of couture boutiques and staged elaborate photographs. Her work has since appeared in T: The New York Times Style Magazine, W, Interview and V, among other magazines, and she has shot portraits of the brightest of stars, including Beyonce and Lady Gaga. Her newest project, Tinkerbelles, is a daily animated comic strip on Instagram, at @ellemuliarchyk, in which models play with cutouts from their own portfolios.
Two-Dollar Bill, 2001
This was given to Muliarchyk by her best friend, a 75-year-old criminal defense and immigration lawyer who shared both of her passions: Quantum physics and photography. "He gave it to me as a token of my future green card," she says. "Its magic worked, and I carry it in my wallet as a symbol of dreams coming true."
Still From a Collaboration with Bella Freud, 2008
This is Muliarchyk's favorite still from a collaboration with Bella Freud, her first fashion collaboration ever, and one of her most memorable and cherished. "Working with Bella infused me with true faith in myself as an artist," Muliarchyk says. "This image also refers to my favorite children's book, 'Karlson Who Lives on the Roof,' by Astrid Lingdren, about a little man who had a propeller on his back and was one hundred percent free and mischievous—my alter ego."
An Image From "Psychics," 2010
This is a still from "Psychics," a live performance and sociological experiment. To confirm her thesis that what a person decides to put on each morning can affect her destiny, Muliarchyk transformed a model into ten female archetypes and had her visit ten psychics in New York City. "I secretly recorded the readings and I was right," Muliarchyk says. "Her destiny turned 180 degrees depending on the clothes."
Photograph From Muliarchyk's "Escapes From Paradise" Project, 2013
This is Muliarchyk's favorite still from her "Escapes From Paradise" project, in which she traveled across the country, taking self-portraits while wearing Chadwick Bell's latest collection. "I feel like this signaled a renaissance and hit a reset button for me as an artist," Muliarchyk says.