Working within the expanded field of painting, I, Alexis Rivierre, have been building narrative worlds through a multimedia approach. Simply put, I make paintings, then wrap them around my body to form masks and garments. These "paintings" become beings which are then made alive through impromptu performance art, portraiture, illustration, and poetic texts. In 2018, the genesis of my masked personas were formed in my thesis work This, That, and The Third— an investigation into the tensions between identity and perception as a Black woman living in the US. In 2022, I completed the illustrated coloring book "Be Still and Know," fleshing out the liberation journey of the character, one who heals. In 2024, I self-published the Art and Poetry book, "Take Care,” featuring the companion healing narratives of the characters, one who breathes and one who heals. I am currently developing my next book/body of work, “Namesake," featuring four river warriors unfolding a story about inheritance and who we become vs. what we are given. These stories that exist in multiform (books, exhibitions, etc.) are a translation and investigation of identity, personal/collective memory, and myth-making.
In addition to making art, I am an adjunct professor and teaching artist partnering with arts organizations, museums, and universities to create exhibition resources, facilitate art workshops, and deliver thought-provoking lectures. I received a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art with a focus on painting from Wichita State University, a Graduate Certificate in Marketing from Liberty University, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art, majoring in painting with a minor in Art History, from Missouri State University.
I've had the privilege to hold solo and group exhibitions at prominent venues including the Wayfarers Gallery in Brooklyn, NY, The Ulrich Museum of Art and The Kansas Museum in Wichita, KS, and Center [3] Artistic + Social Practice in Ontario, Canada.