“My family has been pulling creativity out of me from a young age. I feel that it has always been a part of me,” reflects Merrie, an artist whose main mediums include performance art, dancing and lip syncing. The content of Merrie’s work is fluid, commenting on happenings in the world and the artist’s life. “As a black man in America … dressing up like a black woman, a lot of my work is centered around that.” The performance work encapsulates our human struggles the world over. “At times, I like to put it on stage and make people think. At times, I will also pull out a pop song and have a cute moment on stage. I always have something to say, but I don’t have to jam it down people’s throats.” Merrie admits to always working, “EVERYWHERE! I give shows 24/7.” However, coming up with new ideas which shock, scare, enlighten and provoke the audience is a consistent challenge. Currently, the artist is working on a Youtube project highlighting the drag kings and queens of Brooklyn. “The Brooklyn performance scene is hot right now on a national and international level. And I want to expand people’s knowledge about what we are doing out here. Whatever I do, it will be meant to highlight Brooklyn and all the colorful creators here.”
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