The Dunning-Kruger Diaries
I bring you art. Twelve minutes of it. In which Ms Eames Armstrong and Matthew Ryan Rossetti thrill onlookers at the 2015 MIX NYC Queer Experimental Film Festival with a terribly radical rendition of music from Les Misérables. As readers will no doubt be aware, the MIX NYC Queer Experimental Film Festival is where gathered artistic juggernauts “create queer experimental media through an ever-changing constellation of means.” The participants, we’re told, “make art for ourselves and our community, not for markets or museums.” Consequently, the festival is a “decisive launching pad for emerging talents.”
No skipping ahead to the good bits.
The festival, including the soul-engorging splendour of the piece featured above, was sponsored by both the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. An earlier performance by Ms Armstrong and Mr Rossetti, in which Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is, um, enhanced and made transgressive, can be found here. You lucky, lucky people.
You’ll be thrilled to hear that Ms Armstrong also paints.
I can’t tell which bits are the good ones. I need help.
I got to end of the video and it says “watch it again”.
I don’t think I will.
You’ll be thrilled to hear that Ms Armstrong also paints.
Well, though your selection of her exceptional paintings certainly depicts what should be the audience’s reaction to her performance, it in no way begins to compare with the Michaelangelo like magnificence of Dropping a Qualia Mug Adrian Parsons Left in My Rental Car, (The silence/foreskin of Adrian Parsons is Overrated), “a screenshot work in progress”, a print of which will only set you back 200 frogskins – a bargain at half the price.
As soon as I find a translator for gibberish, I’ll let you know what that means.
Back to the performance, I did find her partner’s initial channeling of Jerry Lewis inspirational.
‘I operate in a field of participation and nonconsensual assemblage’..
Ah! Then he possibly has a real job on a farm picking cabbages and suchlike? That would leave the weekends free to circulate relics and nibble on qualia.
Is seems the Vimeo website disabled comments.
Too bad, i was hoping for some form of explanation-education.
Well, though your selection of her exceptional paintings certainly depicts what should be the audience’s reaction to her performance, it in no way begins to compare with the Michaelangelo like magnificence of Dropping a Qualia Mug Adrian Parsons Left in My Rental Car, (The silence/foreskin of Adrian Parsons is Overrated), “a screenshot work in progress”.
That work is a “collaboration”, probably because she needed someone to take the photos. Figuring out the timer is soo STEM.
David
As ever, you are at the cutting edge. I expect Her Gracious Majesty to award you an MBE for your untiring dedication to the exposure of the ‘arts’, cough, cough!
I’m glad I pay my taxes (and I do, laddies, shut up at the back there!) in Spain. None of my cash has gone on that ………
Question for Tim Newman, when he shows up:
Tim, where does this woman stand on your Engineer to Arty-type scale.
She has actually put paint on paper (yes have a look, you will appreciate it), so….
Her website says she “likes challenge, and art that is difficult”.
Funny how this ‘difficult’ art requires zero skill.
“Nonconsensual assemblage”
So…he steals stuff?
Or maybe, puts stuff in one place without the affirmative permission of the bits of stuff?
(It might help if I knew which language I was translating FROM…)
Funny how this ‘difficult’ art requires zero skill.
Despite the inevitable pretensions of cleverness and transgression, after watching the video the word that comes to mind is bumbling. Even by the standards of incompetence we’ve come to expect, and even as a ruse, it’s remarkably sloppy and inept. At no point is it convincing that the alleged artists know what they’re doing, or care, or have anything specific in mind. It really is just, “I’ll piss about with a distortion pedal and you drink beer in your pants.” That’s the sum total of the artistic process. And so it’s sort of entertaining, or almost entertaining, to juxtapose these grandiose proclamations with the actual flummery seen in the videos. And then try to imagine a mind in which that juxtaposition isn’t mortifying or laughable. A mind in which one is a credible description of the other.
I think the trick to this “art” is in the beverage. In both linked “performances” Mr. Rossetti maintains a tight grip on a can of something-or-other (cranberry juice?); perhaps with a dram or two of vodka? Often times i’ve commented to my wife, while attending a performance of Shakespeare at the Stratford Festival, how much more enjoyable the performance would be if only the actors were carrying around litre sized cans of cranberry juice.
As soon as I find a translator for gibberish, I’ll let you know what that means.
Huh. Clearly I’ve been hanging around these types too much, because reading that it seemed pretty clear to me.
Adrian Parsons is a “famous” performance artist in D.C. who circumcised himself on stage; he clearly schtupped this bint and then dumped her and this is her equivalent of keying his car.
An earlier performance by Ms Armstrong and Mr Rossetti. . .
I’d successfully put that prior post out of my mind. Thanks for reminding me.
Not.
Thanks for reminding me.
Hey, I’m just trying to shovel some culture down your gullet.
What?
More art:
http://www.eamesarmstrong.com/on-paper-fall-2015.html
A lot of gorging and puking in EA art collection. Still better than the video inflicted on us at the top of the page.
It is a tribute to capitalism and free markets that they throw up such a surplus as to be able to feed these useless mouths. A hundred years ago they’d have starved in the gutters, a thousand years ago they’d have been quietly, humanely knocked on the head and buried.
Even moar art:
Soft Night Hekate Moon”, wherein something daring is done with two flashlights taped to herself, the conclusion of which is a fair representation of someone stoned out of his gourd marveling at the tape. Whoa.
What puzzles me, though, is why these collossi of the art world are such blazingly incompetent videographers.
https://vimeo.com/108869637
I have shaken off bewilderment, burst through the barriers of contempt and now only feel pity. She needs tough love, it’s true, but with a hug every now and then.
I notice that all the videos she posts have only a handful of views, many of which must be from people on this blog. That’s sad.
“You’ll be thrilled to hear that Ms Armstrong also paints”
Self-portrait of Ms Armstrong looking into a mirror?
The Diva’s vocal coaches must have been horrified to see her endanger the precious instrument that is her gaping maw by lighting up a cigarette.
I notice that all the videos she posts have only a handful of views, many of which must be from people on this blog. That’s sad.
The rest are from her parents. sobbing softly, wondering where they went wrong. Sadder still.
I can’t tell which bits are the good ones. I need help.
It’s the bit where it finishes.
Why are there no rabid packs of wild dogs when you could use them?
If Ms Armstrong and Mr Rossetti wear only their underwear on stage, what do they wear to bed?
Answer:Depends
Hey, I’m just trying to shovel some culture down your gullet.
In fairness, the work does have a beginning, a middle and and an end, occurring at 00:01, 06:16 and 12:32 respectively.
So, it’s got that going for it.
the work does have a beginning, a middle and and an end,
Oh hey.
The Three Unities.
So, neo-neo-classical and stuff.
In fairness, the work does have a beginning, a middle and and an end . . .
In parallel, or as an antidote, I’m reminded of the observation that mobius strippers never show their backsides.
I’m actually rather taken with painting you’ve shared. It’s funny as hell. It reminds me of that scene in Team American: World Police where the puppet is throwing up in the alley.
I got to 1:14. I truly admire anyone who got farther 🙂
One of my children had to write a song and video themselves singing it and dancing with one of their siblings. I’m willing to bet it had more artistic merit than anything linked to in this topic so far. And not just because I’m their father.
I have been to one piece of ‘performance art’, many years ago. It was just because I was trying to get along with the girl who asked me to go. I have no idea why she was going.
Deep.
I get it – it’s a love song. OK They’re making it up as they go along.
There’s a scorpion pit somewhere just begging to have this lot thrown in it.
An ode to tuberculosis
I lasted one minute and 21 seconds. Though I had a college roommate who liked Yoko Ono, her singing actually, so I have an unfair advantage of having had experience with such things.
Always with the grotesque nudity or semi nudity. And fixation on forcing unfortunately timed (but normal) bodily functions In public.
The mind reels at what Freud would have to say about their maturation.
I keep trying to watch the vid but it keeps freezing….
Honest.
OK,maybe I’m violating some unwritten rule here, but try this for an antidote.
http://www.duow.us
My only connection is non-commercial – one of these ladies attended elementary school with my kids.
It’s a close-run thing, but I might just prefer the Susan Boyle version.
Question for Tim Newman, when he shows up:
Tim, where does this woman stand on your Engineer to Arty-type scale.
Well, she’s at least bothered to go out and buy a canvas, paint, and brushes so that does at least make her claim to be an artists slightly more plausible than those who, say, stand around in strap-ons slurping lager out of a tin. But insofar as her output requires skill, talent, patience, vision, dedication, or a mastery of techniques she might just as well be on her way to Ann Summers having stopped by Spar for a four-pack of Old Speckled Hen.
Incidentally, the ex-husband of “Angela” sent me an email. You will be surprised to learn that she was bitter, angry, and unable to accept any fault in herself and refused to communicate at all when things didnt go her way. He expressed dismay that 10 years later she is still displaying the same characteristics having hoped, for her sake, his unfortunate experience of them was merely youthful aberration. It was certainly interesting to get the other side of the story.
Tim,
You really are describing borderline personality disorder.
I am quite sure the ex is, 1.suffering and 2.will continue to do so for a long time to come. I only hope there are no children involved.
Is it just me or is that guy the spitting image of Arnold Stang?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uv7lwm6_QE
. . .[T]hose who, say, stand around in strap-ons slurping lager out of a tin.
I was aware of such types back when I was in college. Of course, they weren’t in the Art Department, but rather consisted of unfortunate pledges over on
“fraternity row” before hazing was outlawed.
Well, when society collapses, I’m warmed by the thought that these people won’t survive more than 36 hours.
Like over-bred turkeys, they don’t have the brains not to stand around in the rain gawking at the sky and drown.
… was conceived in collaboration with the exhibition curator Eames Armstrong, as well as Ai Wei Wei …
Ai Wei Wei has been in the news a lot over the past several years for having taken a lot of garbage from the Chinese
gangsters“authorities”, but has anyone noticed that his art is, well, garbage?A launching pad, eh? I think the payload just blew up on ignition…
I am quite sure the ex is, 1.suffering and 2.will continue to do so for a long time to come. I only hope there are no children involved.
Oh, I’m quite sure there is borderline personality disorder. There are no children involved, each seems too self-centred to reproduce. As for the ex suffering, I’m sure he suffered a lot, but…here’s the situation he voluntarily went into:
Angela was 21 or 22 at the time. Her ex husband was about 40. Angela’s other lover was in his mid-30s. If I were to guess, she was doing this to get back at her parents who even to this day she rages against for being too old fashioned and close minded.