What bonne chance this was!

Just as I’ve become re-obsessed with Neo-Victorian fashion and the bustle silhouette, Berlin artist Maïmouna Coulibaly posted a video of herself in a beautiful bustle outfit!

I asked if we could have a drawing meetup and she said yes, but it had to be this weekend, since she only had the costume rented for a few days!

So we met up on Adenauerplatz on the sunny Saturday, and wow, Maïmouna looked INCREDIBLE.

Maïmouna is an author, director, choreographer and more.

She has a book coming out this Fall, and teaches Booty Therapy, a joyful form of dance therapy for femmes.

She has acted in films and also occasionally makes time to perform onstage at a burlesque or drag show. Extravagant Shambles was where I first met and drew her, and we have stayed in touch.

I very much want to attend one of Maïmouna’s big crowd events at some point!

Another upcoming project: 

Wayward Life: a performance on the trail of Black Activists, inside Berlin in the early 20th century.

The decolonial performance walk at Treptower Park happens Sept. 3 and 5. Learn more here!

Above and below you can see the drawing as it was when we finished our session and I brought the drawing inside to finish it.

Maïmouna Coulibaly’s new book is Je me relève, from Éditions Carrière publisher. It will be out on November 19th 2021.

Booty Therapy classes happen in Paris and Berlin, and sometimes other places!

You can watch Maïmouna and her students, Les Bootykilleuses, perform Booty Therapy in the Berlin subway. You’ll be glad you watched!

Booty Therapy in Berlin Subway from Maïmouna on Vimeo.

I am so grateful to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to continue making art as a vaccinated but Covid-vulnerable disabled person.

With your support, I can work from home or safely outside and keep telling the stories of Berlin.