Laura Newman, leader of the Abracadabra Trip, wearing a creation that was a collaboration with Elisabeth Belomlinsky. The headpiece is a folded placemat.
Artists brings books to life on big blue bus in New York City
BY BOB KRASNER
Elisabeth Belomlinsky is not just another Russianborn
sculptor/painter/art restorer/jewelry creator/
costume maker. (She was also once a telephone
psychic, but that’s another story.)
The daughter of an artist who illustrated over 300 children’s
books in his native Russia, Belomlinsky emigrated
with her family to the US at age 11 and has lived a life that
is full of art, from designing gear for the army’s special
forces to creating looks for numerous music videos and
painting her own versions of religious icons.
Belomlinsky is an artist who thrives on collaboration,
which makes her a perfect partner for Laura Newman
and the Abracadabra Trip, a band whose primary venue
has been a blue bus that roams the streets of downtown
Manhattan and various points in Brooklyn, offering free
concerts and inspiration to passersby and loyal fans.
Though the collective is made up of men and women,
Newman notes that “women collaborating together is a
beautiful act of feminism” and that her collaboration with
Elisabeth has been “thrilling.”
The pair have worked together before, with the artist
providing costumes and headdresses for bus trips in the
past. This time was special, though, as Newman’s outfit
came about in a perfect example of synchronicity.
“I sometimes have visions during meditation before a
show,” Newman relates. “I saw a woman in golden ropes
tied to a stake and I immediately called Elisabeth, who
had just drawn a very similar image.”
“I had a waking vision of the woman in bondage after
a conversation with a lady feminist whom I had met the
same time as Laura,” says Belomlinsky. The artist and
performer then created the simple but powerful costume,
which was designed for the top to be ripped off dramatically
during the band’s performance of George Michael’s
On the bus: Sebastian Gonzalez, Laura Newman,
Juan Gallego , Damian Kukulj
‘Freedom’, as the “woman takes charge of her bondage,”
according to Newman.
“It’s about the trapped and bound archetype meeting
radical feminist freedom,” explains Newman. Belomlinsky
is right there with her, explaining that the masks have been
made from household domestic objects, such as placemats
and doilies, taking symbols of domesticity and turning
them into objects of female empowerment.
“Laura’s headdress is a folded placemat!” laughs Belomlinsky.
“I love making crowns for feminist queens.”
Some of the other masks worn on Saturday’s trip through
Brooklyn were inspired by one of her favorite books, ‘Alice
in Wonderland.’ The White Rabbit, the Red Queen and the
Mad Hatter are all represented. “Alice is a fundamental,
formative book,” states Belomlinsky. “It’s as relevant as
the Bible.”
She goes on to explain that Carroll’s book is based on
the myth of ‘Inanna’s Descent Into the Underworld’, which
she calls “the ultimate female deity tale.”
Given the freedom to choose their own costumes, one
of the models/dancers – actress Daisy Thomas – chose
the White Rabbit mask for the day. ” I’m not really a rabbit
person, I’m more of a cat person,” explained Thomas. “But
PHOTO BY BOB KRASNER
the ornate structure of it immediately struck me and the
way that I felt when I put it on was absolutely surreal.”
Continuing, she said that her ” character – a playful, flirty
rabbit-like goddess – came alive. Seeing the pedestrians
below dance and laugh made me feel like I was in tune
with the human condition! “
Having the models pick their look from the many options
is a key to Elisabeth’s aesthetic. “Fashion tells the
models what to wear, but for me, it’s a collaboration with
the model. All of my models, who are dancers, writers,
actresses, musicians, artists, are incredible people. I believe
that while the physical labor is usually done exclusively
by me, the creative work is always a collective effort, in
contrast to the patriarchal model which praises the lone
“genius” above all. Deep and intimate conversations with
other female artists is what inspires me. “
Newman is effusive and thankful when discussing
Belomlinsky’s contribution to the Abracadabra Trip. She
appreciates the gift of receiving the artist’s work for free (
“it would have cost a fortune to pay her”) and hopes that
the exposure that she gets will pay off. “As much as we’re
a rock band, we are also theatre,” explains Newman. ” She
matches the boldness of what we are doing. Her style fits
in nicely with ours because she has that ‘wow’ factor. It
includes a fantastical drag/queer/burning man aesthetic
that inspires people. Her outfits elevate the spectacle.”
“My overall theme here is happiness,” concludes Belomlinsky.
“Sometimes I go with creepy imagery, but not this
time. I went for an emotional beauty to uplift the spirit.”
Elisabeth Belomlinsky’s website is writtenimage.art and
you can follow her on Instagram @writtenimage. Abracadabra
Trip is at abracadabratrip.com and on Instagram
@AbracadabraTrip
10 August 12, 2021 Schneps Media
/abracadabratrip.com
