I Was Never Meant To Survive This: Guided Tour

Guided Tour: I Was Never Meant to Survive This

The tour begins promptly at 7 PM, followed by a one-night-only performance by María.

BEHIND THE SHOW

Richie Shazam’s debut solo exhibition in Austin presents a new series of self-portraits exploring identity as a continual state of becoming and means of survival. Across seven characters Shazam, like a modern La Castiglione, transforms herself to examine shifting perceptions, memory, and the dualities of existence—where dreamscapes and disruptions collide.

Each character was shot within the confines of an eight-by-ten-foot wooden box complete with seven unique sets, costumes, hair, make-up and prosthetics. The result is seven tableaux each occupying a domestic interior, forming an immersive environment that reflects the character's self-constructed world. Richie is a collector, she stockpiles and accumulates things, scraps and ideas which go on to adorn her future work. Flowers, objects, hair and ornaments spill out of the wooden frame, which eventually broke down as a result of constant creation, renovation and demolition within it.

The pieces function as a study in survival, an intimate psychological landscape shaped by a relentless quest to create images of our deeply ingrained inner worlds. A soft violence of memory runs throughout, revealing the complexities of how memory operates and how experience imprints itself onto the body. Here, the flesh is divine—a site of reclamation and consciousness regained.

Novelist Garth Greenwell said “the history of queer art is taking stigma and turning it into style” and for Richie, what began as a trauma response becomes an act of authorship. By situating each scene within a different room of the home, Richie completes what is often a final step in trauma therapy—visiting the site of harm. Through the construction of a singular idea across multiple selves, Richie reclaims her own story, her choice of space, and her ongoing states of becoming.

The work reflects experiences that Richie should never have had to endure and therefore these are portraits she should never have had to make. But what choice did she have? In Audre Lorde’s A Litany for Survival she remarks “but when we are silent / we are still afraid // So it is better to speak / remembering / we were never meant to survive”. This show, these characters, their frame and Richie herself exist against erasure, asserting presence through ownership of flesh, form, and narrative.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Richie Shazam is an artist who was born and lives in New York City. After graduating from Trinity College she entered the fine art space working in galleries and museums with a focus on curation. She started to model which led to a full immersion in the fashion world where she eventually began working on both sides of the camera, shooting a variety of campaigns, celebrities and magazine covers. Unsatiated still, she turned the lens on herself creating a book of self portraits titled Shazam. The process's creative fulfillment and commercial success inspired Richie to take the concept a step further, using new mediums like sculpture, set design, and an expansive array of photographic techniques to build physical worlds. To manifest her fullest vision, Richie created Shazam Studios, a collective of creatives that turn dreams into physical realities creating a portal for all who wish to join Richie in the construction of self.

If you’re a Future Front member, this event is free for you and your guests.

Learn more at futurefronttexas.org/comethrough.

McLennon Pen Co. is located at 1114 W 5th St #202, Austin, TX 78703.

McLennon Pen Co. Gallery was founded by Jill McLennon in March 2023 with a commitment of showcasing the work of emerging and internationally established artists. The gallery aims to present contemporary art that is exciting, poetic, and emblematic of the times, while also placing the work within a historical context.

In June 2025, the gallery expanded from its original East Austin house gallery into a new 2,300 square foot commercial location at 1114 W 5th Street, at the gateway to Clarksville and Old West Austin.

Prior to relocating to Austin, McLennon spent thirteen years working in New York City for globally renowned commercial art galleries and auction houses in placing contemporary artwork in private and public collections, curating exhibitions, and supporting some of today’s most esteemed living artists in their career development.

The name of the gallery has been passed down from McLennon's grandfather who established a luxury pen shop in downtown Chicago that originally opened in 1934.

AVAILABLE LANGUAGES — ASL interpreters can be provided upon request. Si necesita traducción al español para participar en este evento, envíenos un correo electrónico a [email protected].

OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY GUIDELINES —

• All Future Front staff, volunteers and guests will be required to practice mutual respect, as well as demonstrate an alignment with Future Front’s code of conduct and values.
• Capacity is limited to reduce crowding of any kind and all events will be held in primarily outdoor and open-air spaces or have access to proper ventilations and well-maintained A/C systems.
• At Future Front events, all guests are expected to follow Austin-local health and safety guidelines for gatherings, as well as practice consideration with the consumption of tobacco, alcohol and any other legal, mind-altering or dangerous substances and objects. This includes:
• As Future Front strives to be a good neighbor, we also discourage the use of tobacco products on the property of nearby businesses and residences, to improve air quality, throughout our events.
• Tobacco use and electronic smoking device use are not permitted at any time within Future Front properties and event spaces at least 15 ft from entrances, exits, operational windows, or ventilation system intake vents.
• Littering of tobacco-related products on the grounds or parking lots is also prohibited.
• Concealed or open weapons and firearms (including handguns) are not allowed at any Future Front venues.

GOT QUESTIONS? Shoot us a note at [email protected]. We're happy to help and will get back to you!

As an arts and culture nonprofit, we produce two community-led exhibitions, The Front Market and The Front Festival. Beyond our flagship showcases, we host year-round shows and workshops at our creative space in historic East Austin, welcoming 20,000+ visitors per year.

Through these programs and a diverse network of partnerships, we invite the public to dream of a future where local art and creativity thrive in Texas—where we see ourselves and our cultures reflected in our communities. Learn more at futurefronttexas.org.

FUTURE FRONT IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY The City of Austin Economic Development Department, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Texas Commission on the Arts, The LINE Hotel Austin, Pease Park Conservancy, Preservation Austin, Movability, ART FOR ALL, Partiful, Moontower Rentals, Distribution Hall, Miscellaneous Rentals, the Red River Cultural District, Topo Chico, as well as Future Front’s donors and members.

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