Molly Crabapple ’s been very busy hosting Dr. Sketchy drawing sessions in her hometown of Brooklyn and abroad, but last week she unveiled her latest project - an impressive body of work inspired by Manhattan’s vaudevillian hotspot, The Box.
Six illustrations (one of them pictured here) are on display as part of an all-female exhibition called 5 Identities 5 Destinations at Ad Hoc Art in Brooklyn, NY. Molly’s pieces take up the entire back wall and as you walk towards them, it seems as if the characters will jump off of the canvas and into the room. With the variegated costumes of the dancers and the lively kinetic energy of her line, she seems to have captured the essence of what’s made The Box such an alluring party-spot.
We should know. Playboy partied at The Box with Duran Duran in November to celebrate their new album, and for the December 2007 issue, legendary photographer Harry Benson photographed some of The Box’s entertainers with models for a fashion spread.
It was particularly interesting to see Molly’s interpretation of a club that’s become a notorious hangout for celebrities looking to ogle scantily-clad dancers, cross-dressing midgets, fire-breathers, and contortionists.
Molly’s illustrations will be on display at Ad Hoc Art until August 24, 2008.
