Marisa J. Futernick is an artist and writer whose work explores “Americanness” and the promise of the American Dream, intertwining the personal with the historical and fact with fiction. Through the combination of text and image, she uncovers the less visible social and political histories of the United States and its complex mythologies. With a strong drive to tell stories (be they historical or invented—usually a mix of both) that address issues of social and economic disparities, she has made work about swimming pools, front lawns, the Hollywood Sign, the Watergate building, Detroit home ownership, the corn industry, the 10 missing floors in Trump Tower, the hometowns of Presidents, failed political candidates, and a surreal search for the cheapest gas in Los Angeles. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, she uses a variety of media including photography, film/video, installation, writing and artist’s books, radio, and painting. Futernick often uses her own voice or physical body to subvert gender stereotypes, and her invented narratives weave together rigorous research, humor, and the poetry of the everyday in an effort to understand and humanize history.
Image: Just USA, 2014
Archival fine art print from 35mm slide, 15 x 21.5 in