The Party

I never wanted to be a part of society. I have always had a horror of the schematic, of conventional behavior. All my life I have wanted to be distinct, not to be like anyone else. I feel uncomfortable with the established codes of conduct.

Have you ever felt alone in a crowded room? Marisol Escobar, born in Paris to Venezuelan parents, was a prominent member of the 1960s New York art and social scene. But she claims that while she attended many parties, she always felt alienated from everyone else.

The tension between conformity and self-expression is evident in The Party. Each face of the 15 life-size figures is modeled on Marisol's own--whether photographed, carved, or cast in rubber or plaster. One or two seem nervous; most seem self-absorbed; all seem isolated from one another. Amusing, satirical, even biting, The Party highlights Marisol's personal alienation from the rituals of high society, while communicating a broader commentary on the shallowness inherent in some forms of social interaction.