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Growing up, Russian artist Gena Marvin at all times knew she was different. The issue was that everyone else knew too, making her the victim of merciless torment and physical violence growing up in a small town. 

While such trauma would make some people want to offer up, Marvin uses her to fuel her creativity – the one solace she found during his difficult childhood. “The memories of my life there give me horrible feelings,” she tells us. “There, I used to be at all times a form of whipping boy. I had three concussions and just about all of my teeth ended up on the streets of that village.”

First experimenting with drag in the toilet – swiftly removing it when her parents demanded she come out – Marvin’s creativity went into overdrive during lockdown, bringing a childhood monster to life. From there, she has continued experimenting with the concepts of ‘beauty’ and ‘drag’. 

Often transforming her small frame right into a gargantuan silhouette, Marvin’s creations are beautifully terrifying with long spindly fingers that trail down past her knees and have humps, lumps, and horns emerging from every direction. Not confined to the toilet, Marvin commonly ventures out in her looks, much to the horror and delight of local residents. 

“After I went out for the primary time, I became a goal and adults texted horrible things wishing me death. Their children were completely different; they took pictures with me and said plenty of nice things” – Gena Marvin

“The character in Magadan is insanely beautiful so I desired to take pictures of my drag with all this beauty around me,” she explains. “After I went out for the primary time, I became a goal and adults texted horrible things wishing me death.” She did, nonetheless, notice a difference in attitude from the younger generation. “Their children were completely different; they took pictures with me and said plenty of nice things.” That is the artist’s hope for the longer term, that the following generation will lift up and rejoice creatives of all kinds, as a substitute of causing them further pain. 

Here, we speak to Gena about finding beauty in trauma, self-acceptance, and why she pertains to Slenderman.

Where are you from and where do you reside? 

Gena Marvin: Russia is my home. I live in Saint Petersburg, but I come from Magadan, which is positioned on the shores of the ocean of Okhotsk. I lived in a small village, where people mostly do fishing. There are around 6,000 people and just one school, that could be very bad. I used to be at all times surrounded by aggressive straight people and the incomprehension sucks. 

What’s it you do and the way did you get into it?

Gena Marvin: In ninth grade I discovered a form of salvation in cosmetics – it helped lots. Within the evenings, I might lock myself in the toilet and do my make-up. It was awkward when my parents would ask me to depart the toilet and I’d must clean off my face with soap and wipes in seconds. Back then, I used to be doing quite basic make-up, somewhat little bit of foundation, mascara on the lashes, and lipstick. As time passed, I understood where I belonged and the world of drag opened as much as me.

What are you trying to speak through your work and why?

Gena Marvin: For a very long time, I couldn’t understand what I used to be doing and what emotions people had when my art. Nonetheless, the lockdown really helped me lots. I locked myself down from the entire world and started to understand what I desired to create. In my mind, I got here across the look of a creature that made me shiver down my spine. After I first shared my looks on Instagram and TikTok, I received the feedback I used to be dreaming about and it became a form of indicator for me. I like the concept that people can feel various emotions from anger to fear or happiness when my art. It evolved from provocation to behavior evaluation. 

What’s been your profession highlight up to now and what do you hope to perform ultimately?

Gena Marvin: I would like my very own exhibition and to look on the duvet of a magazine. 

What are you working on in the mean time? 

Gena Marvin: I even have a variety of thoughts about future ideas/shoots and I’m really concentrating on it in the mean time. I also recently returned from a visit to Magadan and I’m playing a lead in a documentary about drag. The director wanted me to film with my family and consult with them about what I do (spoiler alert: my parents don’t accept what I do) but I personally didn’t want to simply sit and speak about that stuff. 

What does beauty mean to you?

Gena Marvin: For me, beauty is in regards to the full acceptance of your reflection within the mirror. It’s also non-flying weather, or very cold weather. The shine, the depth. Black is gorgeous. All the pieces is. All the pieces that’s and isn’t beautiful is beauty for me; being stylish and daring is pure art. 

Describe your beauty aesthetic in three words.

Gena Marvin: My aesthetics… I assume, lines, volume, and contrast. 

How do you say your identity and experiences through your beauty?

Gena Marvin: Through my childhood fears and traumas. My scary weekdays once I was a toddler. So many aspects from my childhood define me now. 

What’s your favourite smell and why?

Gena Marvin: Santal 33 by Le Labo, it’s the most effective fragrance that defines me. 

Which fictional character do you most relate to and why?

Gena Marvin: Slenderman might be the one thing I can compare to now! On the entire, I’m Bubble played by Rihanna in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. I prefer it all and I would like to try all of it. 

When do you’re feeling most beautiful?

Gena Marvin: I can’t say there are moments in my life once I feel kind of beautiful. In my mind, the concept of beauty is the same as the concept of mental health and I feel quite balanced now. 

How do you wish to change the world?

Gena Marvin: There are such a lot of things on this world that needs to be fixed. Unfortunately, all I can do is create recent types of art. 

You’re the editor of a time-travelling beauty journal 100 years from now, what beauty trends are you reporting on? 

Gena Marvin: 100 years? It’s so strange to even imagine what there could be. I hope that by that point we might have recycled all of the plastic and the trend would simply be life. The more time passes, the less humanity stays on this cruel world. 

You’ve got to donate a feature/limb of your body to an icon of yours. You get nothing in return. What feature/limb do you give and why?

Gena Marvin: The limb I can easily eliminate is my dick. 

In case you had to decide on one surgical enhancement, what wouldn’t it be and why?

Gena Marvin: There could be two of them, at the least. To start with, rhinoplasty. My nose really suffered from all these school fights. I used to be also bullied for my protruding ears, so I might make them appear to be Dumbo as they’re very beautiful. 

What’s the longer term of beauty?

Gena Marvin: Self-acceptance. It looks like something you’ll be able to delay until the following morning or return to in an hour, but seriously, complete self-acceptance makes this world higher – love runs the world!