41.9 x 69.8 cm / 16.5 x 27.5 in. each, Framed

Screenprint, Drawing and Mixed Media

Varied Editions of 5, 2016

 Arrives framed in white

Beauty is Life’s E-Z Pass was conceptualized in 2015 during the controversy with North Carolina’s transgender laws and the debate over restricting public restrooms. That same year, there was another controversy when the Treasury Department announced it was redesigning the $20 bill to feature a woman in 2020, which will be the first time in 100 years. Simmons targeted the hypocrisy of the founding fathers, expressed through putting them, literally in makeup, wigs and capes, to pose for their portraits.

According to a Harvard study, those who make hiring and review decisions at most companies tend to pay people they personally find attractive 12-14% more than those they do not. Beauty is Life’s E-Z Pass spoofs the stark reality that the decision to use beauty or sexuality to get ahead is often the decision between ease and integrity or even safety. The founding fathers, and the striking absence of female faces on US currency, are a fitting base for this revelation with their powdered wigs and frills that are somehow compatible with the masculine image of American history.