Words / @mariahthemystic
Photos /@shaneriaction
Art Direction + Styling / @styledbyphil
Glam / @willssassy
Senior Editor / @badboyrory
Artists have long tried to capture the flamboyance and beauty of showgirls in motion. What sets Aila Boel Oldenburg’s artwork apart is that she is no voyeur; she is a performer herself. That perspective softens the usual boundaries of entry, inviting viewers behind the curtain into a place that is intimate, raw, and free from objectification.
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Aila was eventually called to New York City. Her career shifted almost overnight; after entering The Box from street painting and stripping naked, she ran on stage and caught the producers’ attention. From there, she spent years painting during club performances and absorbing herself in the world of showgirls. Her time on many iconic New York stages has unlocked doors, windows, and crawlspaces into this divine and delicious world of nightlife. She acknowledges industry mentors, icons, and titans who have inspired and supported her continuously flourishing career: Dante, the creator of Inferno; Susanne Bartsch, ‘the mother of nightlife’; and Lola Von Rox, one of the creative directors of The Box and showgirl collective Rox Republic.
Aila likes her hands covered in paint, and her clubs packed with New York artists, tastemakers, and devotees of this primordial craft.
Aila’s artwork enwebs you in this little wonderland: softened strokes and blending shadows, topped with thick, finger strokes and free lively lines that direct your eye from corner to corner to corner. Her work is seductive, not because of the subject matter alone. The colors and shapes evoke a feeling, just enough silhouette to show you what you’re looking at, but not so much heavy-handed realism that the art loses sight of its whimsy and intrigue. She is heavily inspired by the Fauvist movement, particularly Henri Matisse and Kees van Dongen. She uses color to provoke emotion, not to represent the physical subject. She enjoys capturing offstage moments in the dressing room, while performers primp, prep, and portray a less glamorous side of themselves.
Aila will host an intimate, invitation-only event for the first anniversary of her gallery on Broome Street, sometime in early November. Though this event is intended for collectors and close contacts, she will be doing a public viewing of these new celebratory pieces soon after.
Aila swaps her palette for pasties, and her pasties for prosceniums. Aila is what some call a multidisciplinary artist, but we need another word. Perhaps bon vivant, hedonist, a virtuoso? Her central through line is performance, whether she is painting, singing, or stepping into the spotlight.
Aila has found her vocals again, adding singing to her act and a multitude of talents. Currently performing regular shows in this city and across the ocean, she says she’ll be back in Paris on October 3rd at Maxim’s for the third time. ‘I thrive under high-pressure environments,’ she says, smiling with pure mischief and ease. “I’m up the night before making my costume and learning songs added at the last minute at sound check…but it doesn’t leave much time for nerves.”
Before heading to France, Aila hosted a different sort of performance: on September 16th, ‘Dear Aila’ at Berlin Under A. Trevor Hansen was on keys, Cemi & Jose danced, and of course Lola Von Rox made a guest burlesque appearance. It offered a more vulnerable look at her life and experiences than she’s previously shared with the audience. Aila painted a backdrop depicting her dressing room set and explored the humor, heartache, and woes of achieving her goals as a showgirl. At this event, Aila swapped her usual personally hand-crafted outfit for a custom dress from designer John Mangru, who also designs for Susanne Bartsch and creates pieces for RuPaul under Zaldy. What a fabulous night it was, if you were so lucky to attend!
Aila fuels real fire in me: hope. The idea that a creative does NOT need to niche down and define ((or limit?)) herself in the days of hyper perception, ((or promotion?)) online identities, and dwindling attention spans. . It is a special gift, this innate charm Aila has. She wants to embody and immerse herself in the act of art and the truth of being an artist and she refuses to compromise either for (the likes of) this day and age.
Her on- and off-stage persona remains intertwined. On stage, her being is amplified, vibrating at her highest energy levels, with more sparkly opportunities rising on the horizon. That spirit carries into her advice to other young multidisciplinary artists: ‘go inward rather than outward, following the intuition of what excites you instead of being overly strategic.’
We can’t wait to see how Aila’s talent and legacy continue to spin into the ethers.
Skirt, ESQUE/BY. Earrings + Ring, ANTY Jewelry.
Dress, Qipology. Sash, ESQUE/BY. Earrings, ANTY Jewelry.
Dress, Silkera. Choker, ANTY Jewelry. Shoes, Betsey Johnson.
Coat, Liz Skorsis. Sequin bow, ESQUE/BY. Shoes, Betsey Johnson.
