ELIZABETH AXTMAN is an interdisciplinary artist, whose alter-ego, The Love Renegade, creates powerful works about bridging the divide between people and their egos. When a person has acted, (as Liz says) "a hot-mess," the Love Renegade steps in with a work that confronts this head on -- treating these sometimes hateful people with surprising grace and kindness.
In her socially engaged practice, The Love Renagade has written love letters to Ann Coulter & Bill O'Reilly, has re-edited video footage of Sarah Palin to create an apology to people she had hurt, and has poignantly altered a photo of O.J. Simpson's mugshot to say "I'm so sorry." She has participated in exhibitions all over the world including: The Renaissance Society (Chicago), The Studio Museum (NYC), The Contemporary Art Museum (Houston), Kunsthalle Gwangju (Republic of Korea),The Kitchen (NYC), & te tuhi Center for the Arts (New Zealand).
The Love Renagade's newest project, currently being funded via Kickstarter, is entitled "The Love Renagade #308: I Love You Keith Bardwell." The documentary-form work confronts former Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell, who in 2009 refused to marry an interracial couple in Louisiana, siting that he was concerned about "the children." Axtman's ambitious new work documents the loving relationships between interracial couples, and shows their happy thriving children -- who at intervals tell the camera: "I love you Keith." The Love Renagade's work is a moving testament to the power of love over hate, compassion over ego, and understanding over fear. Please check out The Love Renagade's Kickstarter page for this wonderful project, support it if you can, and pass it on!You can see more of Elizabeth Axtman/The Love Renegade's work, on her website.