CHRIS VERENE

Cheri Nevers and the Self-Esteem Salon

Since 1996, artist Chris Verene has maintained an alter-ego identity as Cheri Nevers. Cheri Nevers is a cheesecake-style glamour portrait photographer, who works hard at using photography and fantasy role-playing as a life-affirming tool for her art audiences. Cheri Nevers' work began with a series of self-portraits that altered an American 1950's "girlie pictures" aesthetic to capture images of Cheri in androgynous poses.

In 1998, Cheri began a series of performance art pieces called "Self-Esteem Salons," which sought to create a safe space for people to come and live out a fantasy scene before the camera. “The Self-Esteem Salon” is a performance artwork wherein artist Chris Verene builds a temporary sanctuary to be used in helping strangers—“clients”—to make a sincere and lasting change in their lives.  The project is something like a day spa — a short time spent in therapy that will have positive results on your personal life.  The piece has ranged from two days to twenty, with the artist living in the space during the show and receiving visitors, clients and audience members throughout the duration.

The Salon uses humor and costume to put people at ease.  Each time the piece is made, it is customized to the needs of the place and people who will come.  Sessions with Chris (often his alter-ego Cheri Nevers is involved) are given free of charge to a select group of private citizens who the artist feels need the help he can offer.  Other clients find the salon and book appointments because they have heard about it or been given the appointment as a gift, or see the Salon live and want to join in.  The installations are lavish and beautiful to experience.
Each Salon targets a need in the community and tries to fill that need.  Some salons (Corollary to Camera Club) have sought out aspiring models, and helped them understand their bodies and the industry.

Photographs are made throughout the performance, and costumes and sculptures and made especially for the salon, and in many cases specifically for one individual who may need the artist to build a costume on the spot that will help with raising self-esteem.  Each attending client receives a photograph as a part of the experience.  Some people have personal portraits made, others receive an image that documents the performance in some other way.

The artist forms a small staff of “group facilitators” who staff the Salon and make it great.  The staff also have roles and goals of self-esteem raising and are coached by Cheri Nevers to grow and take risks during the performance.  Past staff members include Jennifer Denike, Christian Holstad, Nick Maus, Johanna Burke—all well-known New York artists in their own right.

Supporters and Veterans of the Salon: Baby Jane Holzer, Carlton and Beth DeWoody, Joanne Cassullo, Aleksandra Mir, John Connelly, Daniel Reich, Paul Morris, Jeffrey Deitch, Jeffrey Peabody, Friends In Deed. 

Previous celebrity attendees:
John Waters, Tracey Moffat, Pat Hearn, Harmony Korine, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick
“The Self-Esteem Salon” was first invented in 1998 at the Gramercy Contemporary Art Fair in New York.  This fair became “The Armory Art Show.”

Also visit www.selfesteemsalon.com