Going Mental With Artist Christian Mitchell

In the photograph “Strip Poker,” a woman with a feather boa aims a gun at a man posing seductively in hot pink underwear. Surrounding the standoff are a demented rabbit, a gothic vamp, and a kimono-clad clown. All of these characters are played by the photographer, Christian Mitchell, whose show Mental Illusions opens November 18 at 345 Broome Street.

The works in Mental Illusions are inspired by Mitchell’s dreams, Kabuki theater, and nightmarish versions of fairy tales. He embodies these ethereal creations through self-portraiture, putting various versions of himself in interactive positions to dramatic and often humorous effect. A one-man production, Mitchell sews the costumes, fluffs the wigs, and designs the sets in his cramped one-bedroom apartment in Alphabet City.

Although he develops storylines for the characters he plays, Mitchell prefers viewers to rely on their own interpretations. If there is a message, he wants his work to communicate that it’s acceptable to embody many different identities. “We don’t necessarily need to fall into a specific category,” he says. “Especially with gender there’s this need to label either the jock or the pretty gay boy. You don’t need to fall into one stereotype.”

Ironically, Mitchell’s work has invited categorical assumptions about his life. Friends have expressed shock at his supposed double life as a drag queen. “I play with drag, but I’m super shy. I could never do drag out in the real world,” he says. “So I think a big part of this project is that it’s my moment to shine in my apartment, alone.”