Contributor

Maya Ben David makes characters. Sometimes they are autobiographical, sometimes mythological, often fixated on the quiet depravity in women’s minds–but don’t put her in a box. A Jewish-Iranian performance artist (but again, no boxes), Ben David might build an entire cinematic universe around a fictional group obsessed with Ferris wheels, then embody a modestly dressed, headless oil heiress eager to discuss sexiness. She is often searching for new ways to debase herself–forever a clown. Monster girls, online subcultures, anthropomorphic creatures, absurd pregnancies, witchery, and world-building all find their way into her video art and live performances. Her work straddles the contemporary art world and the broader realm of online performance, and she is most content when being validated by both.