Anna Marie Tendler: Rooms in the First House
By Claire Ferguson
To be an authentic and original creator seems to be a tall ask in the current social media age. A 2019 article by Plural Art Magazine, “Is Painting Truly Dead?” argues that modern artists require a strong art market presence or a loyal online following to be considered successful by today’s standards. In 2015, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Forever Now, explored how contemporary artists employ past styles and recycle them with a new take, seeking to promote the longevity of the current art market.
2021 saw the release of a highly acclaimed photography collection by artist Anne Marie Tendler, amidst a tsunami of celebrity gossip. Although the tabloids certainly brought the collection quite a bit of attention, the reaction is well-deserved, and its impressive symbolism undoubtedly warrants further discussion.
(Tendler pictured here for her interview in Harper's Bazaar, photographed by Lorenz Schmidl, 2022, captioned: “Tendler's own vintage Thea Porter dress and jewelry.”)
Many of us have long been familiar with SNL- writer, Big Mouth voice actor, and stand-up comedian John Mulaney. Tendler, having been married to Mulaney for six years, was faced with a shocking split during the summer of 2021. Mulaney unexpectedly found a new romance with actress Olivia Munn, and they soon announced they were expecting a child together in the same year. This came to be especially surprising to many of Mulaney’s fans, as he had famously joked about him and his former wife's plans to never have children on his Netflix comedy special The Comeback Kid. While it’s perfectly reasonable that people may change their mind on these sorts of major life decisions, there’s no denying that the process would be incredibly difficult for Tendler, especially considering how public her and Mulaney’s relationship became. “Everything that has transpired has been totally shocking and I think surreal,” she says. “In a way, I feel like, well, it can only go up from here, because I reached the depth of where I could go.” Her debut photographic collection, entitled ‘Rooms in the First House,’ features images taken in the home the couple purchased together during lockdown, but never had the chance to live in together.
Anna Marie Tendler, Dinner in March, 2021, Photograph
Created during isolation, the photos are haunting, vividly conveying an emotional loss of a marriage and intense redefining of one’s identity. Tendler’s handicraft is impeccable, her scenes speak to historical aesthetic movements and speak volumes in their calculated uses of symbolism. The collection's title speaks to an astrological journey, as Tendler travels through her first house. “Though this project is ongoing, the work I am presenting at The Other Art Fair was created between February – July 2021. During that time, I transitioned astrologically from a 12th House placement, the house of sorrow and loss, to a 1st House placement.” Says Tendler.
Her collection of photos has opened a platform of conversation about mental health and healing, gathering the support of many on social media. Tendler details an emotional journey that holds a kind of universality within the age of isolation and grief brought on by COVID-19.
The decor in Tendler’s home recalls her master’s degree in fashion and textile history from NYU’s Costume Studies Program. All the interiors in the home were designed by Tendler herself, and her aesthetic exhibits clear late 19th century - early 20th century influence. Tendler is a clear example of a 21-century artist who knows exactly how to pull inspiration from past artistic movements and utilize historical elements in her work, yet somehow still manages to create work that is new and exciting, gathering a cult of fans across social media alone.
Anna Marie Tendler, The Most Happi, 2021, Photograph
One of her photographs in this collection particularly drew strong media attention from fans, with theories spreading rapidly on TikTok and Reddit. In one of her many self-portraits in this series: The Most Happi, 2021, Tendler recalls 16th century imagery in styling herself as Anne Boleyn. The title of the portrait pays homage to Anne Boleyn’s motto, while Tendler’s pearl necklace and headband offer a modern take on the look. Boleyn’s pearl necklace with her initial ‘B’ is replaced by Tendler with her own maiden initial, ‘T.’ The choice of subject matter is significant in that Anne Boleyn was the second wife to Henry XIII and served to provide him with an heir to the throne. Tendler is perhaps portraying her feelings of betrayal and loss, having to cope with divorce while watching her ex-partner suddenly have a baby with another woman.
Unknown English artist, Portrait of Anne Boleyn at Hever Castle, c. 1550, oil on panel
Another photo in the series, entitled Lilith (2021), is suggestive of a figure from rabbinic literature by the same name. Considered to be the first woman created, she was the first wife of Adam, banished from the Garden of Eden for refusing to act subordinate to her husband. The wallpaper which surrounds this scene serves as a representation of the fig leaves that Adam and Eve used to cover their naked bodies. Upon closer inspection, the script on the typewriter connects with this storyline: “Is there a place for me where I do not feel stifled by men or is it my fate to live alone, far beyond the outskirts of Eden?” Meanwhile, the tarot cards on the table tie in to Tendler’s overarching intention to photograph her journey through an astrological timeframe. The Hanged Man tarot card can be seen on the left of the photograph lying flat near a lit candle, and the Justice tarot card is sitting upright near a flower vase on the opposite side. The placement of these cards communicates a spiritual message, as they are thought to symbolize karmic cause and effect and an upheaval of one’s previous situation.
Anna Marie Tendler, Lilith, 2021, Photograph
Tendler’s openness and vulnerability through her art and social media has produced a tragic yet beautiful photography collection that resonates with her hundreds of thousands of followers. While her work may be new to many, Tendler now serves as a trailblazer for artists for the next decade, leading the photography scene with her creative method. Her feminist approach, haunting Victorian aesthetic, and homage to movements of the past offers an addictive nostalgic beauty. She formulates each photograph as a puzzle for her fans to uncover, her quiet symbolism creating a wild social media frenzy every time she posts on Instagram. Her simple captions, often nothing more than the image title, offer fuel for her fans to keep coming back for more.
Notes
“Anna Marie Tendler, Artist.” n.d. Anna Marie Tendler, Artist. Accessed February 14, 2022. https://annamarietendler.com/.
Choy, Weng. 2019. “‘Is Painting Truly Dead?’ - Plural Art Mag.” Https://Pluralartmag.com/. March 19, 2019. https://pluralartmag.com/2019/03/19/is-painting-truly-dead/.
Emily Gould. 2022. “Anna Marie Tendler Turns the Lens on Herself.” Harper’s Bazaar. January 11, 2022. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a38727685/anna-marie-tendler-profile/.
Hoptman, Laura J. 2014. The Forever Now: Contemporary Painting in an Atemporal World. New York: Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York. https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/1455.
Warren, Emma. 2021. “Fair News: Feature Artist: Anna Marie Tendler.” Canvas. Saatchi Art. October 6, 2021. https://canvas.saatchiart.com/the-other-art-fair/anna-marie-tendler.