By Isabel M. Castro
Lead photo courtesy of Christina De Musée
"Art is a drive and a compulsion. It is like plunging into a fast-moving river, and as the ideas come rapidly, like a torrent, they must be acted upon or lost forever."— Christina De Musée
Walking into Christina De Musée’s Las Vegas studio is a wonderful and playful experience. Surrounded by a massive quantity of large-format art covering every inch of the walls, the space is filled with pieces that brilliantly use colors to emanate a high frequency of energy. Her studio is both a working space for new creations and a gateway into Christina's private and exotic universe, embodying her artistic essence.
Having emerged onto the art scene in 1980s Los Angeles, De Musée faced challenges in establishing herself as a female artist during an era that demanded unwavering tenacity. During our conversation, she revealed that she was not easily accepted into gallery shows. However, undaunted and through persistence, she implemented clever “out-of-the-box marketing” techniques to create a buzz in the art scene.
Drawing from her past inspirations, a young Christina was a dancer and a showgirl, performing in some of the biggest stage productions in Las Vegas, such as the Lido de Paris and Folies Bergère. She recreated the fantastic world of theatrics in art galleries, staging spectacle-art performances with lavish parties featuring her billboard-sized works. Soon, gallery directors and collectors took notice and started exhibiting her artworks in California, New York, Chicago, and Florida.
Acknowledging the need to infuse her magnetic persona into her art's marketing, she blazed a trail by orchestrating attention-grabbing theatrical spectacles and flamboyant events that were the talk of the town. Her audacious approach captivated the attention of East and West Coast luminaries and garnered considerable media accolades.
De Musée’s impressive paintings resonate with the glamour and sensuality of those larger-than-life stages. Paintings like "Neon Fantasy" transport viewers into a world of super hybrid women adorned in luminous, phosphorescent pigments, creating a decadent fantasy realm. Her unique style seamlessly blends elements of medieval and Renaissance influences, offering a juxtaposition of contemporary and classical forms that weave together a tapestry of modern-day mythos. Her art becomes a captivating journey through time, guided by the influences of media, fashion design, cinema, and surrealism.
In some of her latest works, she skillfully intertwines themes of mysticism, power, decadence, transcendence, humor, and sexuality into intricate and dynamic compositions. Pieces like "I Kiss You Electric" and "Secret Garden" delve into the hidden and not-so-hidden nocturnal social events of exclusive societies of the desert. Described as outrageous and provocative, Christina imprints each artwork with a personality-driven passion for life. Often painting two or three artworks simultaneously, De Musée offers audiences a panoramic experience, allowing them to immerse themselves in multifaceted narratives.
Photos by Isabel M. Castro
Employing a diverse array of subject matter, De Musée also creates artworks of contrasting images that coalesce into visually compelling stories, teasing the mind with multiple layers of meaning in her compositions. Often these artworks are inspired by the nocturnal events of exclusive societies of the desert. According to De Musée, those works weave social allegories and the shadow side of sensuality into her beautiful, thought-provoking themes.
De Musée’s quest for variety drives her to create art that becomes a living narrative, inviting viewers to lose themselves in extraordinary dimensions crafted by her imagination. She believes that art transcends mere visuals; her works become a portal into a world where fantasy and reality coexist. Moreover, expanding the confines of her studio, she has ventured into social media, producing online shows that have captured the attention of millennials and Gen Z. These informative segments provide insights into the close and personal world of what it takes to be an artist.
Christina De Musée’s art has been celebrated by art connoisseurs and critics with well over 100 exhibitions across national and international fine art galleries. Her star-studded collectors include Malcolm McDowell, Isabella Rossellini, Charlie Sheen, and Robert Downey Jr., to name a few.
Additionally, her work has been featured in many publications such as Art News, Art in America, Contemporanea, The Robb Report, The Artist Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Gorgeous Magazine, AD, Orange Coast Magazine, Aspen Times, Beverly Hills Today, Hollywood Reporter, Las Vegas Magazine, Palm Springs Online, The Desert Sun, LA Weekly, Desert Golf and Tennis Magazine, and many others.
For more information
Email: cdemusee@gmail.com
Phone: 310-493-0114
Facebook @Christina De Musée
Instagram @Christina De Musée
TikTok @Queen De Musée
X (formerly Twitter) @christina de musée