16: Cross-Cultural Art + Storytelling MALLORIE FREEMAN

Fittingly named after speed performance brand “Mallory Ignition,” I had a blast connecting with Multidisciplinary Visual Artist MALLORIE FREEMANS’s creative spark, spunk, and spirit – mesmerized by her family’s fierce Filipina-Irish entrepreneurial adventures full of “wild energy,” charisma, and family legend-making. Whether pursuing intuition and teenage dreams to looking for truth and the real story behind her larger-than-life 1960s pop singer mom, Mer-Lyn, and fierce leather pants-donning Filipina seamstress grandma “Lola” Fe, we explore where their stories began and blend with Mallorie’s own creative fire and highly original work. From cosmetology school to art conservation to her 800-piece sugar-coated chocolate exhibit in abandoned homes, we trace Mallorie’s intriguing, non-traditional journey and quest for family folklore. Tune in as we tracer trails of online stardust and “the many lives” left behind by her then rising Filipino-American starlet mom. Like a Netflix series and one-hit-wonder that lingers in your heart and imagination, Mallorie’s first-generation immigration story – by way of Atlantic City, Las Vegas, The Johnny Cason show, Dick Clark, and Frank Sinatra – may leave you starstruck, too. MALLORIE FREEMAN was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio by her mother, Mer-Lyn, a pop singer who recorded music with ABC Paramount at just 16 years old. Her mother later became a modeling agency owner, television producer, and makeup artist. Mer-Lyn’s entrepreneurial spirit and DIY nature influenced Mallorie from a young age. Mallorie attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago after graduating High School. She also attended the Cleveland Institute of Art but is mostly self-taught. As a multi-disciplinary artist, she works with non-traditional media, such as chocolate installations in abandoned spaces, and text-based textile works using synthetic hair. Mallorie has participated in a number of regional + national exhibitions. In addition to her art practice, Mallorie is also a professional art handler, specializing in archival conservation, preservation, and installation. She has been employed at a number of galleries and art institutions including, The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Progressive Art Collection, and has recently moved to Detroit, MI after accepting a position as Production Associate with Library Street Collective. Exhibition at BRICK for the CAN TRIENNIAL All venues open July 8th - August 31st. Reception August 5th 5-9 pm https://cantriennial.org/event/north-collinwood-reception/ Cleveland Print Room: The Suitcase Project https://www.clevelandprintroom.com/the-suitcase-project SCENE: Cleveland Artist Mallorie Freeman Explores Her Mother's Past For Next Series https://bit.ly/3OGOE0X ABC Paramount: Promise by Mer-Lyn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwHnFFFbFWg ABC Paramount: You’re The Only Boy I’ll Ever Love by Mer-Lyn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OALsiycaTyI Artful Cleveland: ARTworks Profile https://artfulcleveland.org/2016/05/17/artworks-profile-on-mallorie-freeman/