Do you understand any of this?

After I had finished with the prescription films and readings, I had Nick and Nora fest. I watched "After the Thin Man," "Thin Man Goes Home," "Another Thin Man," and "Shadow of the Thin Man," This image is from "Another," I believe, and is a great scene in which Nick and Nora are presented with Nora's estate's yearly estimates as a threat. Nora asks Nick "Do you understand any of this?" and Nick, detective and new father, tries to decipher something about a logging company, maybe? Their patter is so cordial, so civilized, and yet she clearly can tell that he's at sea. They arrive at the mutual conclusion that to protect her financial adviser is in both their best interest, but there is no argument. I thought with our country's finances being what they are, it would be good to look at an image from a depression era movie of 2 supposedly rich people not knowing what was going on with their finances.

Another wonderful moment comes in "Home" where Nick is lying comfortably in a hammock when Nora comes out to sit with him carrying a cleverly folding lawn chair. It's actually very slapsticky as she tries to carry on both a conversation with her husband, and figure out this complicated piece of furniture. Eventually she gets it to resemble a chair, tries to sit in it at the same moment she is concluding her side of the conversation, and promptly the chair collapses. All this time, Nick is watching with nothing but amusement and admiration all over his beaky face. He does eventually get up (there are protests from Nora) and helps her with the chair, which she then eyes with suspicion and does not try to sit in again.

These parts of old films really interest me. The congenial, witty way men and women were supposed to relate to one another. I've been trying to devise a way of making these small, black and white short films, with lavish costumes and strange sets, where that kind of wit could once again be demonstrated. Not with any other plot, just the casual, intimate, character driven moments that punctuate old films.

Angry Flamingos

So, sometimes I draft these posts, and then something goes wrong with whomever's computer I've dredged up to use, and the damn things never get published! Quelle Domage! Anyway, this is the first of apparently 3 of those posts...

Recommended on that lovely list of things I had to look up were the movies of Kenneth Anger (Specifically "Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome), and also John Waters, (specifically "Pink Flamingos"). Being the obedient student that I can sometimes impersonate, I made it through both. I had to turn the Director's Commentary on, and occasionally poke myself, to stay awake, but I did!

Kenneth Anger does make amazingly odd, sometimes short, films. He has been doing so for something crazy, like 75 years. I am surprised I had never heard of him, especially since I have had to sit through class discussions of Matthew Barney's work frequently. It's pretty obvious watching "Inauguration" where the "Cremaster" B.S. comes from. A drug laden, sleepy man in heavy make up, swallowing jewels makes his way through a series of rooms and performs several tests. There are angry, transforming female characters, repetitive, obnoxious noises, dream sequences and overt sexual bizarreness. There is symbolism everywhere, but none of it seems to be exactly culturally referential, instead more imagined. However, this is very low tech, filmed in someone's house, and there's a wonderful integrity to it that I find lacking in "Cre."

I made it through about 11 of Anger's films, and by far my favorite involved a midget dressed in 17th century clothes running through an Italian water park. His wonderfully creative, simple film making could have used more editing, but was absolutely gorgeous. I almost wished pieces were run slower, and that I was just able to leave them on in the background, almost as still photographs rather than films.

The opposite was true of "Pink Flamingos," as anyone who has seen it possibly could attest. I have a lot of respect for John Waters. I love him in interviews, and think that his passion for making films can't be matched. But, as it was intended to, the film just grossed me out. As much fun as I could tell they were having making it, I really wouldn't have gotten through it without the commentary. Mr. Waters was constantly telling side stories that were much more fun than the actual film. One was about the trans-gender flasher,"Government would pay for your tits, but you had to pay for your snatch yourself," I believe was the quote, "And now she's living in the Mid-west, has a couple of adopted kids. Nice Girl! I wonder if she ever watches this movie..."

Cock Doc Doc

"Having no talent is not enough."

I like the idea that there are west coast phenomena. Apparently the Cockettes, a drag show based out of San Francisco in the late 60's early 70's was a West Coast thing, terrible to transport east. In this era drag could include women and even children, you could still get furs at the local thrift stores, and the commune system was almost working to keep everyone fed and clothed,(with help from the welfare system). Drug induced, frenzied, improvised shows were greeted with standing ovations. This is the San Francisco that dreams are made of.

As I was watching the documentary (that was very similar in style to those that you'd see on PBS, but with a lot more cock and balls), it suddenly occurred to me that as they were describing the wonderful and free Haight district of the era they casually left out that Charles Manson was also active at the same time, and under much the same pretenses. He was an itinerant musician, surrounding himself with pretty girls in outlandish hippie garb, espousing a gospel of free love. An interesting contrast.

I really enjoy the act of making feather boas. Watching these movies where so many people need comfort and protection, as they act out against society and each other, I wonder if I need to make a labyrinth-like honey comb structure to protect all these fragile creatures. I think of Aunt Beast from Wrinkle in Time, and how beneficial a costume like that would be. But then I watch for awhile, and realize that is would just get sullied and burnt to a cinder. All these characters may be fragile, but they are also quite inflammable.

Kids Nowadays...

I'm going to have to pay closer attention to who suggests which artists I "have to" look at. Though this movie was incredibly made, and Chloe Sevigny is awesome, I don't think I'm interested in Larry Clark any further. The film was not only depressing, but yuck-tastic; using the audiences "yuck" response when it didn't have to. Scenes seemed to go on forever, and the metaphors got lost in the 40s and blunts. The initial shock of the age of the characters lost its effect very quickly. In that way it sorta reminded me of a perverse Bugsy Malone, but without the marshmallows. There's probably an interesting comparison to be written between Telulah and Sarah (Jody Foster and Chloe Sevigny, respectively). However, much in the way that "Drugstore Cowboy" made shallow the experience of adults, "Kids" made shallow the experience of children. It took less than 20 minutes for me to begin to watch the clock till the end of the film- I was already dead to it's shock, and just waiting for the inevitable.
I'm not sure how this relates to what I make. I have an interest in the empowerment of teenagers, and am interested in how they are portrayed in culture. I must have made the mistake of mentioning this. I had avoided this film for a long time, and though I can't say I'm unhappy to have formed my own opinion of it, I don't think I would have missed much by never having watched it.

Dogs are waiting...

But in the spirit of documentation, I'm also going to work my way down through the reccommended film list from AIB- (90% of which include or involve dragqueens... Go figure) first off- Shortbus!

<<(Synopsis- pre-orgasmic sex-therapist lady befriends a gay couple on the rocks who frequent a club hosted by Justin Bond (Queen Du Jour!)...yadda yadda, graphic sex, but well-placed & not gratuitously used; as the preview says "about sexuality, not sex...")>>

The most exciting part for me was the New York City sets made of gently rainbow painted cardboard which illuminated or not depending on the plot point. Especially gratifying was the blue string of lights across the Brooklyn bridge. Reminded me of Michel Gondry's movies, and, well, made me want to re-watch all of his material. Guess that'll go on the to do list.

Justin Bond did give a great performance. I"m looking more into the Radical Faerie Movement, as well as the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Though I'm not sure how this exactly relates to my work, it's still fun...

More soon, ipsos walkies...

Front Desk Post

Actually, this is a little bit of an experiment to see how things cut and pasted from word end up looking on this blog. Anyway...

These are my nearly-mnemonnic notes that were made during a "research session" where I was supposedly working the front desk of a college on a beautiful summer Saturday (as you can imagine, there was NO ONE on campus). I have dutifully looked up every artist I took note of during the residency, with the exception of those that I was supposed to become "Expert" in. At the end of a 9 hour shift I think I had maybe found 9 of these people who warrant further interest and research. If the font stuff worked they should be in bold. Anyway...


Artists & Collectives to look up-
*Elizabeth Higgins-O’Conner. (Very sad looking creatures made from couch cushions and yarn detritus. Paintings are of sad looking creatures in conflict. Under-grad at Cal State Long Beach.)
*Sally Mann. (Alt Process Black and White Photography of naked children, husband, etc. Notorious. No Idea how her work relates to mine.)
*Lynda Benglis. (Double dildo add spread, really great paint “blatts.” Video work on VDB.com)
*El Anatsui. (Breath-takingly awesome works using bottle caps and discarded metal bits. Personal site currently down.)
*Karen Kilimnick. (“Why does any self-respecting painter ever set out to be feeble?” http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2007/mar/04/art- really ugly paintings…)
*Matthew Ritchie. (Awesome games and pseudo drawings.)
*Limner Portraits. (deliberately decorous)
*K8 Hardy. (“Now, it’s not about hanging out naked in my underwear, but rather about selling myself as an artist.” Fashion photography ala Todd Oldham, film works).
*Francis Alys (video works, mostly based on walking. Also collects paintings of Saint Fabiola.).
*Acconci.(Performance works like “Seed Bed” leading to landscape architecture)
*Larry Clark. (Photographer and film maker, specifically of Tulsa (book) and Kids(film))
*Tim Hawkinson.(Bird Skeletons made out of fingnail clippings, interactive octopus made of photographs)
*Arthur Ganson. (MIT machines)
*Tom Friedman. (amazing geometric stuff, awful visceral stuff.)
*DAVID ALTMEJD. (Ben said to keep it in all caps)(“Narrative Potential”- decaying werewolves.)
*Terrence Koh. (Chinese sculptor, most notably of Lady Gaga’s piano)
*Dan Graham. (mirror buildings, public labyrinths)
*Urs Fischer.(Blobby metal things, tongue coming out from wall)
*Jason Rhoades. (collaborator with Paul McCarthy, CCAC alumni)
*Jerry Saltz (New York Magazine, Formally of Village Voice).
*Joan Semel.(Painting from photographs at odd angles of presumably her own body)
*Nan Goldin. (Still photography work moving into cinematic)
*Margaret Bourke-White. (Maggie the Indestructible, photo-journalist)
*Immogen Cunningham. (Originally from pdx, UW alumnae, black and white studies of plants and nudes.)
*Hannah Wilke (little bubble gum vaginas, “Intra Venus”).
*Barbara Kruger. (futura bold oblique over photos)
*Jenny Holzer. (Projected Barbara Kruger)
*Bansky (Artist or Collective- street work and agit-anti-prop)
*Clare Fontaine. (text, text, neon text, flip knives made from quarters.)
*Alexander McQueen. (accredited with bringing low-rise “bumster” jeans back into style. Extravagant fashion. )
*B.A. Harrington. (crazy wood work.)
*Louisa Cassati. (“I want to be a living work of art.” Femme Fatale, featuring live snakes as jewelry)
*Marilyn Mintor. (overly ripe photos of lips and jewelry. Unclear as to the distinction between photos and paintings.)
*Pierre et Gille.(over the top glittery photographs of beautiful people in glorious handmade set pieces. Lots of glitter.)
*Erwin Olaf. (Overly dramatic, perfect looking horror inspired photographs. Mostly commercial, it seems.)
*Mike Kelly. (Stitched doll bought objects, abjection, “clusterfuck aesthetics”- Jerry Saltz)
*Paul McCarthy(still boring)
*Cory Arcangel. (Musician from Oberlin, hacks video games, most notably Mario clouds)
*Mike Smith.(Video artist, created character. VDB.)
*Harvey Fite/ Opus 40 (early land work, created by one professor from Bard College).
*Amanda Lynn. (Awful Paintings of women)
*Yinka Shonibare. (sculptures, often without heads, adorned in "ethnic " fabric, often set up in tableaus.)
*Hanry Darger.(the story of the Vivian girls.)
*Richard Prince. (Incredibly bad field paintings with stupid jokes on them).

Artists and Collectives I couldn’t find on the internets
*Red Queen or Red Wing theatre group.
*Victor Schwarzlofsy.
*Nalem Blake.
*Eric Simmon-Ziegler.
*Terry Bartlett.
*Joan Fercunderta.
*Irwin Verme.
*Hans Hocke.

Old Works.

Newer picts. So, this is what I was working on for about 2 weeks (solid) last spring.