Will Cotton's Triple Art Event: Monograph, Exhibition, and Ballet Collaboration in New York

Will Cotton's first monograph, published by Rizzoli in 2011 with a preface by Francine Prose and an interview by Toby Kamps, explores his unique painting style blending Bouguereau and Haagen-Dazs influences. His exhibition at Mary Boone Gallery in New York City runs from May 3 to June 30, 2012, located at 745 Fifth Avenue. Cotton collaborated with choreographer Karole Armitage on 'Werk! The Armitage Gone Variety Show,' which performed at the Abrons Arts Center on the Lower East Side, with final shows on May 5, 2012. The variety show featured other artists like Doug Fitch, Kalup Linzy, Richard Phillips, Aïda Ruilova, and William Wegman. Armitage has a history of working with visual artists since the 1980s, including David Salle. Cotton's paintings depict Americanized Alexandre Cabanel-style nudes on candyfloss clouds and women in cupcake tiaras, described by Prose as representations of desire and commoditization. The monograph highlights Cotton's drawings, suggesting a deeper engagement with form beyond his faux-old master aesthetic. The book is 172 pages, priced at $60.00, and includes an ISBN of 978-0-8478-3667-3.