BODYC A N V A S

S TA G E

M U S E

TWENTY-SEVEN YEAR OLD RICK GENEST WILL

CHALLENGE YOUR SENSIBILITIES ABOUT WHAT

YOU BELIEVE TO BE BEAUTIFUL. AT HIS CORE

HE IS A CHIAROSCURO OF BOTH LIGHT AND

DARK—PART GENTLE WARRIOR, PART ANTI-

ESTABLISHMENT ARTFUL DODGER, AND HE HAS

SERENDIPITOUSLY BECOME THE ‘IT’ MUSE

FOR ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN A BRAVE NEW

WORLD WITHOUT JUDGMENT.

42

1

3

The biohazard symbol on Genest’s

chest is meant to bring light to

the stigma of death and dying and

to encourage people to recognize

mortality as simply an important part

of life.

It was pretty much no turning back

after Genest had his hands tattooed—

in fact, in the industry they call them

“job stoppers.” After this decision he

dove in headfirst, dedicating his life

to his art.

1

2

BODY AS CANVAS

Rick’s dorsal tattoo was one of the

first large, unified pieces of his

bodysuit. The tattoos on his chest

were done separately and later

unified to compliment Genest’s full

body work.

The skull and crossbones tattoo was

Genest’s first tattoo, at the age of 16.

He got it after surviving an extremely

rare brain tumor that was removed

through revolutionary laser surgery.

His friends teased him and called

him Zombie because he wasn’t

expected to survive, but did.

3

4

Genest’s tattoos as living art

“ I SEE MY TATTOOS AS CELEBRATING THE ART OF OBSCENITY AND THE MACABRE.”

I SEE MY TATTOOS AS CELEBRATING THE ART OF OBSCENITY AND THE MACABRE.”

Genest joined sideshows with contemporary carnivals

learning geek work, clowning, fire play, lying on a bed of

nails and flesh pull techniques. He eventually amassed a

group of performers together to create his own travelling

freak show titled Lucifer’s Blasphemous Mad Macabre

Torture Carnival which he also directs.

Lucifer’s Blasphemous was inspired by the resurgence of

sideshows (think Jim Rose Circus) and body modification

artists like Lizardman and The Enigma. “Lucifer is our boa

[constrictor] and we are the droids of death,” says Genest,

explaining the idea behind the troupe. The performers

also include the sexy mistresses Sedusa, as well as Dr.

Kuttz the psychotic auto mutilator, and a bevy of other

Coney Island circus inspired characters.

“So you’ve got some action, some gore, some burlesque-

sexuality, and of course the comedy! It’s a Three Stooges

freak shows, unlike you’ve ever seen,” says Genest who

performs in English and French, and clearly plays the

‘Zombie’ character.

BODY AS STAGEGenest’s use of body in performance

I LIKE GROSS STUFF. YOU KNOW, BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.”

“

In December of 2011, Lady Gaga stylist Nicola Formichetti

stumbled upon Genest’s fan page and contacted him

on Facebook to shoot the first images for his menswear

collection as the newly-appointed creative director of

legendary Paris-based house Mugler. Formichetti and his

team came to Montreal in January 2011 to shoot Rico.

After the Mugler shoot, Formichetti requested that have

Rico fly to Paris to walk the menswear show on January

19th, 2011. There was a slight setback: Genest had no

passport and was bogged down by fines to his name

totalling well over $10,000 in many Canadian provinces.

Formichetti agreed to cover the necessary expenses:,

basically making him a free man. On January 19th, 2011,

Chateauguay-raised Rick Genest starred in his first ever

Paris fashion show.

Genest as a fashion inspiration

BODY AS MUSE

I’M SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL ARTISTS—MANY TALENTED PEOPLE.”

“

This book was designed by Erin McLear in Visual

Information Studio at Washington University in

St. Louis in Fall of 2012.