Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Zander.
Hi Jenny, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was raised by artists, both my dad and Grandmutter were art teachers for many years. From a young age creation has been central to who I am, who I’m becoming. My Grandmutter made art cars and I grew up being a part of art car parades. And my dad is an incredible watercolorist. Every summer he lays out all his watercolors on the kitchen table and paints from past photos I’ve taken. I love being with him when he paints. He’s always told me that “a good painting breathes,” meaning not everything should be colored in. And now, this is how I paint people. I don’t want to engulf a person in paint, I want to accent their body.
I started painting and photographing people in high school. I fell in love with body art and the whole process of creating living, breathing works of art. There are many moving parts that go into each piece. From the outfit creation, to the location scouting, to planning the design to each body and final documentation, this takes many hours from start to finish. Each piece is catered to the individual and I love how collaborative the process is with whoever is modeling. It’s a beautiful form of storytelling that reflects many identities and movements. Over the years I have integrated other forms of mixed media on skin. I love playing with mirrors, plants, paper maché and textiles. I’ve been getting more and more into mask making and costuming as I explore the realm of mystery. Made up stories and characters that intrigue you because they aren’t all figured out.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I spent the past year working on a personal piece and wrote a poem to accompany it titled “Somewhere Between Then and Now.” My best friend, Elena, helped me create the nest installation and photographed me in it (photo featured above). I want to share my poem in response to this question.
Somewhere between then and now
I learned it takes one hand to count the things I am sure about
And there’s only so many ways to say the same thing, but yes can feel easy in a moment.
Somewhere between then and now
I learned what can be done and what’s worth doing.
I was quickly taught the difference between being private and keeping secrets
It’s a queer feeling, with two fingers to the neck or wrist you can feel most major decisions.
Somewhere between then and now
A friend showed me you cannot play with dry clay
And grief is all the love you want to give but cannot.
Somewhere between then and now
I found that love that is a full stampede
Dirt kicking, wind rushing,
everything at once
A love you run for.
But somewhere between then and now
I couldn’t keep up.
Somewhere between then and now
It all caught fire and i undressed myself
“Look at that silly wild child. She’s all dirty!”
But I remember what Grandmutter told me, “you can’t make anything beautiful and stay clean.”
Somewhere between then and now
I was fascinated by habitual creatures
Drawn to circles, drawn into cycles. I’ve watched so many nests take shape this way.
And i wonder how it feels to just stay somewhere between then and now. Sit and watch things go by.
But i rather be somewhere along the way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am the co-founder and co-director of The Red Light House, a queer arts collective based out of Minneapolis. Our collective is made up of young, queer women, each in our own creative genre. We focus on curating events and inducing memorable work environments all while uplifting LGBTQ voices and arts. I’ve worked as a freelance photographer and filmmaker for Oyate Hotanin, Pangea World Theater, Indigenous Peoples Task Force, Lightning Rod, Ikidowin Acting Ensemble, Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center and many independent artists throughout the Twin Cities. My work has been exhibited in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, California and New York.
My body art and photography has been published by Buddy’s Bench Press in the book “Shapeshifters: Bodies Like Water” which honors the deep connections between the body, land, and queer wisdom. The book carries you through a series of stories from queer, trans, and gender-fluid artists, most of whom are based in the Twin Cities. To play with gender is to play with power. “Shapeshifters: Bodies Like Water” was created to actively shift the violent dynamics of colonization, white supremacy, and other systems of oppression that rely on seemingly unchangeable gender norms.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
There is a great deal of luck, or maybe it’s just “what is meant to be”, in all of my work. When working outside you can never quite predict what you will get, but it’s beautiful when something unexpected transforms your original idea. I always leave room for this. You don’t have to force things to fit, adapt the work to the landscape and see what it has to say.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jennyzander.weebly.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jennyzander98
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@jennyzander2474
- Other: “Shapeshifters: Bodies Like Water” – buddysbenchpress.com/shapeshifters
