I interviewed Roxy Monoxide, Perth Protesque Artist, about change, Revolution, Idealism, and her upcoming event Crier Dans L'Horreur.
Hannah: Do you have a performance background?
Roxy: Not really actually, I have an art background. All sorts of art. People that know me know that I spend a lot of time in my room just painting, writing, singing, all that sort of stuff, and I’ve always been interested in performing arts. I’ve seen all the normal, traditional burlesque and I find it…a bit corny, like it goes really well with some girls. Some girls can pull it off and look amazing-Siahne (Siahne Rogers, aka Vivian Marlowe) does it really well, with me though, I look at it, and I think I could push it. And with my arts background I can bring a twist to it, and find a new outlet that people can watch and think “Whoa, what the hells going on here”, and present to them something they’ve never seen before. So I think of it more of a performance art as opposed to burlesque or dancing. Even though I incorporate those styles.
Hannah: I heard a quote once, and I can’t remember who said it, that artists, no matter what form, have only one message or idea they wish to express, but they keep finding new ways to re-invent how they communicate that idea…
Roxy: Yep. Definitely. The message is different with every artist. I want change. I’ve always been brought up incredibly left wing by my father. He always taught me about what’s going on in the world. You have two different types of left wing people. You have left wing people that sit around and bitch, and left wing people that go and actually do something about it, the activists. My dad was one of those people who sat around and bitched. And I was grateful, because he would sit around and tell me things going on in the world, and that gave me the motivation to go and research, find out more myself. And then it becomes very hard not to be passionate and want to do something to change it.
Hannah: So when did you start wanting your art to become public?
Roxy: I’ve always wanted it to, I’ve just never found the outlet. Every now and then I go to rallies and blockades when I can. I used to work for a few charities; Wilderness society, Greenpeace. But art is what I am passionate about and I think it is the most powerful thing you can use in terms of getting your voice across, and it’s something that pulls people’s attention. As they say, a picture can paint a thousand words and actions always speak louder.
Hannah: Would you ever do your routine as a protest outside. Not in a club. In Murray Street.
Roxy: If there is an opportunity for it. I mean with that it’s obviously a bit harder. You need PA’s, speakers, power points, …I’d like to ideally do it but there is always going to be someone there to break up the show. If you do it in a safer way where people go there to see you. There are different ways to push the boundaries. You don’t have to go to extremes.
Hannah: Do you consider yourself a radical?
Roxy: Not really no. Just someone who wants to make a difference. Everyone has a bone in their body that makes them feel as though they should do something. Unfortunately, not many people know how to go about it. I don't either, but I'm taking a chance.
Hannah: When was your first time performing your routine onstage?
Roxy: The first Varitease, and I did a pretty tragic dance. And believe me, that chair dance is a lot better now, but I won’t do it again, just because I don’t believe in doing the same routine twice. There are so many things I want to focus on. Yesterday, for example, it just really got my mind ticking, and made me realize exactly what I’m doing. I was sitting outside of work, waiting for it to open. And this fuckhead starts picking up bins and throwing them and I just sat there, just to test to see if anyone did anything about it. About ten, fifteen people walked past and not anyone did anything about it. And eventually I had to go get all the rubbish off the street, put them in cans and put them back. It really got me thinking. I find it really sad how people see something happening and they know it's there, and yet they don't do anything about it because they are all hoping for someone else to take the lead. When I am on stage, it’s a place where they can be confronted and they can’t get away from it or ignore it. And hopefully the people that were once ignorant will go do something themselves. I think what people don’t understand is if they’re ignorant, eventually it is going to come back on them.
Hannah: So the first time you performed, how did it feel?
Roxy: Pretty good actually. The first time was totally improvised, I came up with the song that day, and the routine was just one I had been doing for a while, I improvised most of it and grabbed whatever props I could. In my opinion it was quite a tacky performance but people said they enjoyed it.
Hannah: The term Protesque? How do you feel About that?
Roxy: I made that up.
Hannah: Oh!
Roxy: Its political burlesque. And hopefully its catching on.
Hannah: Anyone else you would put in that category?
Roxy: No one is just a Protesque artist, I would say. But I’ve seen girls do routines, but it’s not their solid category. You can never claim you’re the only one.
Hannah: What do you think of classical burlesque?
Roxy: To me, it’s something that’s an art, some do it very well, it’s not my thing. It needs to be altered, and I think it could be better. It’s traditional and old fashioned and it needs to be pushed and broken and changed and to be more appropriate for modern age. In my eyes burlesque is something that needs to be sculpted. There’s a place for everything. It’s just about getting ideas out there.
Hannah: So your idea is change.
Roxy: The reason I want people to come and see me is so people can go, what the fuck is going on, and start to want to instigate change. I want to be that person who takes the lead.
Hannah: What sort of change?
Roxy: Political change. We need a freakin revolution. I see people trodden on everyday and its getting to the point where people are too scared to voice out their opinions to make a change of their own and stand up for their believes. Hopefully I can inspire people to be less afraid and to make change.
Hannah: So , social injustice?
Roxy: Pretty much. No one agrees with what the government is doing, and it’s not just at all. The other day I was driving along in my car, and I realized, governments are just like whores. They take our money and fuck us, but they do it on a wider scale and we don’t get any enjoyment from it. Constantly they’re raping us and stealing our money to do things that we don’t want them to do, and creating a system we don’t want. It benefits their want for power but at the end of the day we’re left for dead. So until we do all unite, as idealistic as it sounds, they’re going to keep on doing it.
Hannah: There are small groups of unification, but how do you think you can get a big enough group that can be loud, that can be heard?
Roxy: Well, I’m about making an impact on each person I meet. And if I can make an impact on a single person, it’s a step closer. My idealistic vision is probably not going to happen, but I’m going to do everything I possibly can to make it happen. Even if it’s a tiny bit of change, one person inspired to check out something from themselves. Impact whoever sees you, you’re still making change.
Hannah: And so part of that is your event at the velvet lounge, Crier Dans L’Horreur?
Roxy: The velvet lounge is something a bit different. I think horror is a statement against society in general. A lot of people wouldn’t think of it as political, but it puts confronting issues right in front of you. Horror movies display images that aren't considered the norm in every day society.
Hannah: Is this your motivation behind your aesthetic on stage?
Roxy: My aesthetics change depending on the act. My piece for this one is going to be…pretty gory. There is going to prosthetics and make up and props, done by Tegan Yates. I haven’t worked with her before but I’ve seen her stuff and it's pretty awesome. I can’t wait.
Hannah: Is everyone going to be horror themed?
Roxy: Yes. The literal meaning as close as I can get is scream of horror in a horror movie. But what sort of horror is left up to the artist. Black humour, theatre of the cruel, whatever they want to bring to the stage they can.
Hannah: And you want people to dress up when they come?
Roxy: Yes. $20 if not in costume, $10 in costume. I’ve bought down some massive artists that don’t usually get show cased, Matty Blade, sword swallower, Lady Black Betty, one of Perth’s better known Gorlesque performers, John Madd, who is an amazing magician, and fifteen other up and coming burlesque performers. What I want to do is get them out there man. Make it explode. It’s about time these people get recognized and rewarded.
Hannah: How do you plan your acts, now?
Roxy: I just get an idea and I go with it. I’ve always been a fluent creative person. I’ve got a lot of faith in myself in my art, because I know it’s the only thing I can do. If I don’t have faith in that, what can I have faith in, in myself?
Hannah: Do you consider yourself a feminist?
Roxy: I’m a woman that’s proactive, going out there, doing things, breaking the boundaries, people can look at me as a feminist. I don’t like saying I’m a feminist because people immediately assume you push really really hard for women’s rights. And I care about that. But I care about everything. People. The environment. Not just women. I’m more an idealist if anything.
Hannah: Why are you an idealist?
Roxy: I have all these ideas in my head of the perfect world and I think if I push really hard I can get there. I've had a few people laugh at me for my idealistic views.
Hannah: What is your utopia?
Roxy: I wish when the English came to Australia and shot the crap out of the aboriginal people and created genocide, they didn’t do that. They conformed to aboriginal ways, no technology, living off the land, because that’s what’s fucked up the human race. No one wants to do things for themselves anymore because they’re too into technology, so there’s no culture. The way people respected their elders, they respected each other, they weren’t rebelling against anything because there wasn’t anything to rebel against, there was unity. They respect the animal they eat. This whole disconnected world we’re living in, that unity, that respect…and actually caring about the world you’re living in. Doing things for yourself and the people you care about.
Hannah: What’s your version of heaven?
Roxy: A place where you can be whoever you want, but everyone is accepted and you’re all one. Everything around you is the same, no difference between people, trees. You can connect with people and not be judged and constantly just enjoy being in the moment. To me that’s heaven. Sitting with people and not being judged. I don’t believe in heaven or hell. I believe in spirituality.
Hannah: What happens after we die?
Roxy: Why I believe we’re here is because the spirit wants to learn what it is and what it isn’t. Because you don’t know what you are until you know what you are not. A spirit takes form in all different things to learn things in that form, and when its realized what it isn’t it, it leaves the body. It’s always becoming something new. I believe God in any concept is another word for the universe. I believe there is a fate and a destiny for every person, but how we get there depends on your choices. I believe bodies decay but spirits never die, it only grows stronger.
Hannah: Now you’re more experienced, how do you feel performing?
Roxy: Good. I want to push boundaries with the shows we have in Perth. I’m sick of hearing that Perth is a hole. People don’t want to develop their art in Perth, they want to do it in Melbourne. Burlesque has just had a crack on the head in Perth, and I think we are at a point of change, I think that we are going to become a lot more cultured. For anyone out there who is wanting to explore something but is too afraid I encourage you, If you have an idea, go with it. Don’t be scared. Don’t hold back. If you have an opinion, voice it out. Otherwise you will never reach your full potential. If you really really feel strongly about something, go out of your way to do it. Otherwise you’ll never be noticed. Your idea could change the world, but you'll never know if you keep it locked in a safe for nobody to see.
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