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This Body Air Brusher's Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity

Mab's first-ever exhibition, hosted at New York's latest Black-owned concept store, blurred the lines between Black beauty and fashion.
This Body Air Brusher's Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
By India Espy-Jones ·
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It’s October and fashion week is over, but airbrush artist Mab is still hellbent on couture. On Saturday night, the artist—known for airbrushing abs at Theophilio’s SS26 show—hosted her first-ever exhibition titled “Aerosol Couture.” Held at the new Black-owned concept space, By Alexander, Mab brought Black divinity to NYC’s Greene Street.

This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity

Driving in from her hometown on Halloween night, her two hour drive from New Haven was quickly turning into four when she got a call from singer Chxrry to airbrush her into a white swan for Heidi Klum’s annual Halloween party. “I went to sleep at 1 a.m. and woke up at 6 a.m. to get my hair done and hop right into it,” Mab tells ESSENCE as her hairstylist installs her hot pink wig while airbrushing six models the day of her exhibit.

On Lil’ Kim-like pastie-clad bodies, she loaded up her airbrush gun—using Mehron Makeup and Pro Acrylic Paint from MAC, one of her exhibit’s sponsors—and blurred the line between beauty and fashion.

This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh

For Mab, this looks like airbrushing a red cropped turtle neck and black coochie cutters straight onto a model’s bare skin, giving “skin-tight” an even more literal meaning. The model then jumped onto a blue motorcycle, revved the engine and filled the room with smoke as a pole dancer covered in complete silver body paint began to spin in front of a guest list including photographer Myles Loftin, Head of State designer Taofeek Abijako, and Chxrry.

This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity

“You have to love yourself to be up there. It’s so vulnerable,” Mab says, pointing out the confidence required to be airbrushed while almost nude. The artist has been finding beauty in Black bodies since she first picked up an airbrush gun six years ago. Now, as she looks into the future, “[I want to] paint the girls at Magic City,” Mab says, with her eyes set on the Atlanta strip club scene. “Community is what I look for everywhere.”

This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Hadija
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Hadija
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Hadija
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Alizayuh
This Body Air Brusher’s Exhibit Was A Nod To Black Divinity
Courtesy of Hadija

Credits

Artist @mablacas

Curator @001.jav

Artist Assistant @rahmbow @jasminabanks

Exhibition Graphic @@sahr__rn

Exhibition Music @marvinmarc @diskogoon

Talent @therealgialove @symone_lu @r.wcj @theechirussel @jsiim @_jaylulu DJ @ahighlysensitiveblackwoman

Make Up Artist @molliegloss

Hair Stylist @um_takayuki

Photography @alizayuh @em.lias Sponsors @maccosmetics @Chimi Store Director @snatraraps

Managing Director @jameslennonchuang

Executive Creative Director @yohbe

Founder @_by.alexander

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