Thursday, December 17, 2009

paul mccarthy

I know that most of you have probably watched this video..if you havnt i highly suggest viewing this epic journey of insanity.  I cant pin down exactly what it is that draws me to this video over and over again but after this last time watching it i have decided that it is one of the most relevant art performances for me at this moment in my life and also one of the most relevant critiques of art in general.  Paul McCarthy is known for his wild and disgusting videos and personalities and to some they seem a bit overt but i think quite oppositely,  that the subtlety is genius.  He is an artist in which i have the utmost respect for.
I believe that his depiction of an artist in this video is exactly how i feel about my place in the art world.  When i am making art or whatever it is i do I feel that i am a fumbling, bumbling idiot doing things in a subconscious series of actions.  I feel that a lot of the traditional mediums are outdated and painting is one of them that i constantly feel this about.  When making things i tend to use anything as a medium, often grabbing for things that arent considered artistic tools/mediums and also try to use them in non-traditional ways.  Somehow i feel it more pure for me to grab a bag of chips and use my vibrator to draw with the grease than to grab a brush and stroke.   Also, in this performance his actions and messiness seem perfectly sexual and to reach a harmonious perverse actuality.  Paul McCarthy is it.  He is now.  Tell me your thoughts/feelings/horrors.

1 comment:

travisegedy said...

yea. i have never seen this. its brilliant. for the simple reason that art, the "artist" and the creation of art is in itself an abusurdity, but also is so unique to each individual artist. there is no "right way" mccarthy here is both critiquing the art making process and creating a genuine "artist" character (existing in some sort of fantasy world) but a real fantasy none the less. what a wonderful look into his mind..... art should be more fun. this is a good example of that