{{short description|American artist}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox artist | name = Rachel Mason | image = Rachel Mason (cropped).jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | known_for = Performance, sculpture, music, film | spouse = Buck Angel }}
'''Rachel Mason''' is an American filmmaker whose work includes performance art, music, films and multimedia projects.
==Early life and education== Mason was born in Los Angeles, California, to Karen and Barry Mason, a Jewish family.<ref name=BBC>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-50662998|title=Our parents ran a secret gay porn empire|last=Muhammad|first=Jaja|date=December 11, 2019|access-date=December 11, 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref> She has an older brother, Micah, and a younger brother, Josh.<ref name=BBC/> Her mother was initially a journalist and her father worked as a special effects engineer in the film industry.<ref name=BBC/> When her parents got into financial difficulties in the mid-1970s, they got jobs distributing porn magnate Larry Flynt's ''Hustler'' magazine as well as gay porn publications. In 1982, Mason's parents took over the gay porn bookshop Circus of Books in West Hollywood, without telling their children what they did for a living.<ref name=BBC/> They also produced gay porn videos starring Jeff Stryker.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07vkbjr|title=BBC World Service - Outlook, Our parents' secret gay porn empire|website=BBC|date=November 20, 2019 |language=en-GB|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref>
Mason attended Wonderland Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES) and Cleveland High School in Reseda. Mason received a BFA in art from UCLA and an MFA from Yale University. In New York she worked as an assistant to video and performance artist Joan Jonas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rachelmasonart.com/bio|title=Rachel Mason|website=Rachel Mason|language=en-US|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref>
==Career==
Her debut feature film ''The Lives of Hamilton Fish'' is a musical art film with no dialogue. Mason often performed the entire soundtrack live in front of an audience while touring the film to museums and festivals. The film's story is based on a true coincidence Mason discovered.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wise |first1=Damon |title=Raindance- Rachel Mason on Making the Leap from Art to Film |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/global/raindance-rachel-mason-on-making-the-jump-from-art-to-film-with-the-lives-of-hamilton-fish-1201608749/ |accessdate=October 2, 2015 |work=review |agency=Variety |issue=October 2015 |publisher=Variety Magazine |date=October 2, 2015}}</ref> Two obituaries of two men, both named Hamilton Fish, were printed on the front page of a newspaper from January 16, 1936.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://observer.com/2014/06/the-cannibal-and-the-statesman-rachel-mason-performs-her-karaoke-rock-opera-film/|title=The Cannibal and the Statesman: Rachel Mason Performs Her Karaoke Rock-Opera Film|date=June 4, 2014|work=Observer|access-date=November 25, 2017}}</ref> Hamilton Fish (aka Albert Fish) had been a serial killer while Hamilton Fish II had been a statesman. The latter was a descendant of 18th century politician Alexander Hamilton,<ref name=Variety>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/global/raindance-rachel-mason-on-making-the-jump-from-art-to-film-with-the-lives-of-hamilton-fish-1201608749/|title=Raindance – Rachel Mason on Making the Jump from Art to Film with 'The Lives of Hamilton Fish'|last=Wise|first=Damon|date=October 2, 2015|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref> who was killed in a duel by Aaron Burr; a large part of the film was shot on location at the Morris–Jumel Mansion where Burr once lived.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bedfordandbowery.com/2015/07/the-lives-of-hamilton-fish-a-strange-in-between-of-a-rock-opera-music-video-art-piece/|title=The Lives of Hamilton Fish: A 'Strange In-Between' of a Rock Opera, Music Video, Art Piece|date=July 21, 2015|website=Bedford + Bowery|language=en-US|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref> The film also portrays one of the first known psychics, the White Crow, aka Leonora Piper.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/nyregion/the-film-the-lives-of-hamilton-fish-is-about-a-politician-and-a-criminal.html|title=The Film 'The Lives of Hamilton Fish' Is About a Politician and a Criminal|last=Gorce|first=Tammy La|date=2015|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 25, 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
''The Lives of Hamilton Fish'' premiered at London's Raindance Film Festival in 2015,<ref name=Variety/> and Mason performed with the film as a live performance at museums including LACMA,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/the-lives-of-hamilton-fish-is-a-murder-ballad-musical/|title=Murder Ballad Musical The Lives of Hamilton Fish Screens at LACMA Tonight Los Angeles Magazine|last=Duelund|first=Theis|date=June 23, 2015|website=Los Angeles Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref> Art in General, Henry Art Gallery,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://henryart.org/programs/rachel-mason-the-lives-of-hamilton-fish|title=Rachel Mason: The Lives of Hamilton Fish - Henry Art Gallery|website=henryart.org|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref> Corcoran Gallery, Albany Institute of History and Art,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.albanyinstitute.org/event/product/FILM-AND-PERFORMANCE-The-Lives-of-Hamilton-Fish-A-Film-Song-by-Rachel-Mason.html|title=The Lives of Hamilton Fish: A Film Song by Rachel Mason - Albany Institute of History and Art|website=www.albanyinstitute.org|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref> The Horse Hospital (London), Pineapple Underground Film Festival (Hong Kong), and Night Gallery (Los Angeles).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.echoesanddust.com/2016/08/interview-rachel-mason/|title=Interview: Rachel Mason|date=August 7, 2016|website=Echoes And Dust|language=en-US|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref>
Mason's 2019 documentary feature film ''Circus of Books'' was acquired by Netflix and executive produced by Ryan Murphy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/circus-of-books-netflix-ryan-murphy-1203197915/|title=Netflix Acquires Tribeca Doc 'Circus of Books,' Exec Produced by Ryan Murphy|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=April 25, 2019|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref> It is based on the story of the historic gay landmark Circus of Books, a book and magazine store that her parents ran from 1982 until 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wehoville.com/2017/06/22/preserving-wehos-circus-books-documentary-owners-daughter/|title=Preserving WeHo's Circus of Books: A Documentary by Its Owners' Daughter|date=June 23, 2017|work=WEHOville|access-date=November 25, 2017}}</ref><ref name=BBC/> The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26, 2019<ref>{{cite web|title=Circus of Books|url=https://www.tribecafilm.com/filmguide/circus-of-books-2019|website=Tribeca Film Festival|date=2019|accessdate=December 11, 2019|archive-date=November 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117141739/https://www.tribecafilm.com/filmguide/circus-of-books-2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=DryIW>{{cite web|last1=Dry|first1=Jude|title='Circus of Books' Review: A Perfect Portrait of Mom and Pop's Gay Porn Shop|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/04/circus-of-books-review-gay-porn-documentary-netflix-1202128594/|website=IndieWire|date=April 26, 2019|accessdate=December 11, 2019 }}</ref><ref name=UhlichTHR>{{cite news|last1=Uhlich|first1=Keith|title='Circus of Books': Film Review {{!}} Tribeca 2019|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/circus-books-review-1205448|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 29, 2019|accessdate=December 11, 2019 }}</ref> and was the opening night gala presentation at the 2019 Outfest film festival.<ref>{{cite web|title=Opening Night Gala: Circus of Books|url=https://festival.outfest.org/2019/movies/circus-of-books/|website=Outfest|date=2019|accessdate=December 11, 2019|archive-date=December 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206155530/https://festival.outfest.org/2019/movies/circus-of-books/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Debruge>{{cite magazine|last1=Debruge|first1=Peter|title=Film Review: 'Circus of Books'|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/circus-of-books-review-1203277535/|magazine=Variety|date=July 23, 2019|accessdate=November 17, 2019 }}</ref> It was available for streaming on Netflix on April 22, 2020.<ref name=BBC/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netflix.com/title/81011569|title=Circus of Books {{!}} Netflix Official Site|website=www.netflix.com|language=en|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref>
"Rachel's art is fluid — it's always easing in and out of different forms. She is a songwriter and performer; she's an actress, of a sort, who performs as if channeling the poetic inner souls of controversial leaders like Fidel Castro and Manuel Noriega." -- Claudine Ise<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://magazine.art21.org/2011/02/22/center-field-characters-not-caricatures-the-multifarious-art-of-rachel-mason/#.WhIHNbQ-eRs|title=Center Field {{!}} Characters, Not Caricatures: The Multifarious Art of Rachel Mason {{!}} Art21 Magazine|work=Art21 Magazine|access-date=November 25, 2017}}</ref>
In October 2023, Mason joined the Museum of Neon Art's "Light in the Dark: Queen Narratives in Neon" exhibition,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://signsofthetimes.com/mona-presents-light-in-the-dark-queer-narratives-in-neon/|title=MONA Presents Light in the Dark: Queer Narratives in Neon|work=Signs of the Times Magazine|date=October 24, 2023|access-date=October 21, 2024}}</ref> participating in a panel discussion about LGBTQ+ connections to neon art and the Glendale, California community. Other panelists included museum trustee Eric Lynxwiler, sex educator Buck Angel, neon artist Dani Bonnet, glendaleOUT member Paul Manchester, and activist Shant Jaltorossian of GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CzARaMSRVvN/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D|title=Thank you for helping us make history today as the last program of the Circa: Queer Histories festival organized by @oneinstitutela |date=October 29, 2023|access-date=October 21, 2024}}</ref>
In June 2024, Mason's documentary ''An Update on Our Family'' premiered at the Tribeca Festival, centering on family vloggers Myka and James Stauffer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/stauffer-family-documentary-director-vlogging-regulations-1235915206/|title=Director Rachel Mason Talks New Series on Family Vlogging and Status of 'Rust' Documentary|date=June 6, 2024 |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/myka-stauffer-huxley-documentary-autistic-son-b2555733.html|title=Myka Stauffer, YouTuber who 're-homed' her adopted son, is subject of new documentary|work=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/tribeca-festival-television-lineup-1235974521/|title=Tribeca Festival Reveals TV and Now Lineup Including New Series With Issa Rae, Serena Williams and Jake Gyllenhaal|website=Variety|first=Jack|last=Dunn|date=April 18, 2024|access-date=January 8, 2025}}</ref> It premiered in January 2025, on HBO.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/hbo-original-three-part-documentary-series-update-our-family-debuts-january-15|title=HBO Original Three-Part Documentary Series An Update on Our Family Debuts January 15|website=Warner Bros. Discovery|date=January 7, 2025|access-date=January 8, 2025}}</ref> That same year, Mason directed and produced ''Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna'' centering on Halyna Hutchins, for Hulu.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/rust-doc-halyna-hutchins-hulu-premiere-1236298484/|title='Rust' Doc Examining Halyna Hutchins Accidental Death and Aftermath to Premiere on Hulu|website=Variety|first=Carolyn|last=Giardina|date=February 6, 2025|access-date=February 26, 2025}}</ref>
== Personal life == Rachel Mason's life partner is Buck Angel.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Michael |date=2020-04-27 |title=Time For Tea: Circus of Books' Rachel Mason Talks About her Family's Landmark LGBTQ Business - LA Weekly |url=https://www.laweekly.com/time-for-tea-circus-of-books-rachel-mason-talks-about-her-familys-landmark-lgbtq-business/ |access-date=2023-06-13 |website=www.laweekly.com |language=en-US}}</ref> She has a son from a previous relationship.<ref name=":0" />
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.futureclown.com Official website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mason, Rachel}} Category:21st-century American women sculptors Category:21st-century American sculptors Category:21st-century American Jews Category:Sculptors from Los Angeles Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni Category:American women performance artists Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Yale University alumni Category:Film directors from Los Angeles Category:Jewish American film people Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:American bisexual women Category:American bisexual artists Category:Bisexual Jews Category:Jewish American artists Category:Jewish women sculptors Category:Jewish American sculptors Category:American women film directors Category:Jewish American songwriters Category:Jewish LGBTQ women Category:LGBTQ people from California