Drawing Other Worlds: Interview with Marcel Dzama
By Ophelia Lai
Portrait of MARCEL DZAMA. Courtesy David Zwirner, Hong Kong / New York / London.
Whimsical costumes, hybrid creatures, and Kalashnikov-wielding ballerinas are just a few of the motifs that make up Marcel Dzama’s charming visual language. Born in Winnipeg, where, as the artist poetically notes, the winter snow would stretch across the landscape like a blank page, Dzama discovered a love of drawing at a young age, and went on to earn a BFA at the University of Manitoba in 1997. Referencing eclectic influences that range from Dadaism and dance to gothic horror and fairy tales, Dzama has expanded his oeuvre over the years to encompass drawings, collage, sculpture, and film, occasionally experimenting with unusual materials such as root beer and mustard. In January, David Zwirner, which has represented Dzama since 1998, opened the artist’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, titled “Crossing the Line,” which was inspired by Dzama’s trip to the city in 2018. AAP spoke with Dzama over email to discuss his travels, his love of ballet, and why he cast actress and writer Amy Sedaris to play himself in his films.
