by Sorrel Moseley-Williams
Herald staff

“It’s time to clean out the closet and move him onto the next level,” says artist Nick Mahshie of his alter ego Tranqui Yanqui, who takes to the streets dressed in paper clothes in an art performance that both questions and mocks what his home nation of the US stands for. “Tranqui’s evolved so much that I’ve created a new wardrobe for him and will celebrate by launching it with a fashion show tonight.”
Mahshie, who studied at the Rhode Island School of Fine Art, says he developed the Tranqui Yanqui (the Peaceful Yankee) character as his answer to the global crisis. Twelve months ago, he was haggling for material with Buenos Aires city’s cardboard collectors to make a lurid set of outfits for Tranqui. The character appeared at crafts fairs or on street corners with a cardboard suitcase which opened up into a closet. Once Tranqui was sporting his bright paper clothes and trademark cardboard sunglasses, he would then simply wait for bypassers’ reactions: confusion, laughter, even anger.
Mahshie explains his alter ego’s development over the past year. “Although he wasn’t selling in the beginning, l was interested in the evolution of Tranqui as a sales person who has literally come from the garbage. So I made a briefcase, a portfolio and jewellery from garbage and started doing “subte” performances, showing off my wares as I walked through the train carriages, and I’ve even sold handmade necklaces. I like the metaphor that Tranqui started off in the street and that he’s now doing a fashion show.”
The concept is also about taking art to a new level. “It’s a fresh direction in art, it’s fashion, art, performance, all of these elements combined. The paintings are coming off the wall and doing something different and I simply want to engage people,” adds Mahshie.
Taking to the catwalk with 15 models is a culmination of everything Tranqui has been through over the past year, he says. “Starting off with the closet, making his clothes, everything is loaded with irony. He is there to hook you in with bright colours and images so maybe you don’t even see the irony.
“It’s interesting that Tranqui has come out of the crisis which adds another parallel — while he is celebrating and revelling in his ‘Tranquilandia’ empire, ‘Yanquilandia’ has been crumbling away. There’s no crisis in ‘Tranquilandia,’” he adds.
Tranqui has increasingly exposed himself to his public and the reactions prove varied. Following an article in a national newspaper, he received his craziest response to date. “Tranqui walked into a store with one of his stickers on him and someone totally recognised him. That was an interesting moment for his ego.”
Working frantically to complete the new wardrobe in time for tonight, the Miami-born artist says the show will be brief. However, what it lacks in time it will make up for in glorious ironic technicolour and   crazy cardboard clothes followed by a party: a fashion first.

WHERE & WHEN

Tranqui-Collection 2009. Tonight from midnight, Uniclub, Guardia Vieja 3360. Website: www.tranquiyanqui.blogspot.com