Chloé Griffin's Illustrated Biography Reveals Cookie Mueller's Downtown New York Legacy
Chloé Griffin's illustrated biography, 'Edgewise: A Picture of Cookie Mueller,' delves into the life of Cookie Mueller, who passed away in 1989 at the age of forty. A prominent personality in the punk avant-garde scene of downtown New York during the late 1970s and 1980s, Mueller was known as an actress, writer, and go-go dancer. Over a span of seven years, Griffin conducted 80 interviews with Mueller's family and friends, including her son Max and filmmaker John Waters. The book presents edited quotes that, while initially lacking context, ultimately portray Mueller as a charming, chaotic, and warm individual. The community, attracted to a dilapidated New York, faced the harsh realities of the AIDS crisis. This article originally appeared in the January & February 2015 issue of ArtReview.
Key facts
- Cookie Mueller died in 1989 at age forty
- Chloé Griffin authored an illustrated biography titled 'Edgewise: A Picture of Cookie Mueller'
- Mueller was a pivotal character in downtown New York's punk avant-garde during the late 1970s and 1980s
- Griffin conducted 80 interviews over seven years for the book
- Interviewees include John Waters, Max Mueller, and Sharon Niesp
- The book uses edited quotes from interviews as its main text
- Many in Mueller's community were drawn to a rundown, bankrupt New York where creativity flourished
- AIDS decimated the community, taking Mueller with it
Entities
Artists
- Chloé Griffin
- Cookie Mueller
- John Waters
- Max Mueller
- Sharon Niesp
Institutions
- ArtReview
Locations
- New York
- United States