meanwhile back in BROOKLYN . . .
BROOKLYN STREET ART presents SKEWVILLE live in action . . .
in honor of the big weekend-long – JUNE 16-19, 2011 – NORTHSIDE MUSIC & ART FEST !!
SKEWVILLE – A TWIN COLLECTIVE – AD DEVILLE and his twin bro DROO – BORN & BRED IN QUEENS, NY & CURRENTLY BASED IN BUSHWICK – ARE GOING TO PUT UP – A HUGE NEW STREET MURAL – ON WILLIAMSBURGS’ NORTH SIDE.
The 100 foot long wall to be called ‘LAST EXIT TO SKEWVILLE’ will pay tribute “to the cityscapes of industrial and everyday blue collar Brooklyn . . .” and will be located on NORTH 11th STREET . . .
to be exact: 82 North 11th Street, between Berry and Wythe – !!
so stroll by, hipsters – and get a fresh take on the SKEWVILLE “warped crooked sense of irony and humor . . . with a specific style of lettering, abstract figures and cityscapes that are instantly recognizable by Street Art fans everywhere. ” (BSA)
and, yeah, check out: SKEWVILLE !!
~LAST EXIT TO SKEWVILLE . . . |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 18th, 2011, 10:31am
or: THE ART WORLD AIN’T WRITTEN in STONE – TAKE TWO !!
and thank the lordy that the art world is – always self-correcting.
case in point: the new-found respect for the work of YVES TANGUY and KAY SAGE – which has been overlooked, but with a fresh curatorial insight, most likely influenced by all the recent street and comic world imagery, not to mention cutting edge web graphics – has found a new relevance . . .
though the NEW YORK TIMES pretty much sucks in its contemporary art reviews, particularly regarding emerging artists (sic) – it does mid-career stuff ok – it’s historical and institutional reach is its best offering. witness KAREN ROSENBERG’S recent super super great article on the new exhibit in nearby KATONAH: ‘Double Solitaire: The Surreal Worlds of Kay Sage and Yves Tanguy’ – at the KATONAH MUSEUM of ART, running thru SEPT 18, 2011.
see: KAREN ROSENBERG/’SURREALIST PARTNERS IN PAINTING, BUT DON’T CALL THEM A TEAM’/NEW YORK TIMES/JUNE 10, 2011
see: KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART
YVES TANGUY: ‘Multiplication of the Arcs’, 1954 – (!!)
PHOTO: MUSEUM OF MODERN ART/LICENSED BY SCALA, ART RESOURCE. PHOTOGRAPH ESTATE OF YVES TANGUY/ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK/COURTESY THE NEW YORK TIMES
the images speak for themselves and the re-surgent interest, not to mention newly-found critical respect for the work.
while in the KAREN ROSENBERG article – some interesting historical facts are hi-lighted . . .
for starters, their only joint show until now. more than 50 years later – was back in 1954 when the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford Connecticut, and the oldest public art museum in the United States, bye the way – mounted a survey of Sage’s and Tanguy’s works.
KAY SAGE: ‘I Saw Three Cities’ , 1944 – (!!)
PHOTO CREDIT: PRINCETON UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM. PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRUCE M. WHITE/COURTESY THE NEW YORK TIMES
ROSENBERG goes on to state:
“Although SAGE and TANGUY lived in America in the 1940s and ’50s, they were out of sync with American painting of the time. Unlike their fellow Surrealists and Connecticut neighbors MATTA and GORKY, they did not make the leap to Abstract Expressionism. As late as the early 1950s, with POLLOCK and de KOONING ascendant , they were still fixated on de CHIRICO.”
and again: thank the Lordy for revisionism !!
The KATONAH show is co-organized by JONATHAN STUHLMAN, a curator at the MINT MUSEUM of ART in Charlotte, North Carolina, who is writing a dissertation on Tanguy, and independent curator STEPHEN ROBESON, who is writing a book on Kay Sage.
go to ROSENBERG’S article, (link above) for more critical description & biographical details, but interestingly Yves Tanguy (1900-1950) came from the Brittany coast, “home to prehistoric rock formations” . . . and he “attended school with PIERRE MATISSE, the painter’s son, but his real entree into the art world came later, after World War I, when he met ANDRE BRETON in Paris.”
Kay Sage (1898-1963) “came from a wealthy upstate New York family, but had a European upbringing, travelling the continent with her divorced mother. She came to surrealism in the mid-1930s after a decade-long marriage to an Italian that had frustrated her artistic ambitions.”
WOW – THIS IS BEGINNING TO SOUND – LIKE THE GREAT BEGINNING TO – A NEW – WOODY ALLEN FLICK !!
ROSENBERG continues:
“She was taken with Tanguy’s work from the moment she saw it, at the 1936 International Surrealist Exhibition in London; the painting that most captivated her, she later recalled was proleptically titled ‘I Am Waiting for You.’
Two years later, at a Paris salon, Tanguy saw Sage’s work and was just as impressed . . . a mutual friend finessed an introduction,adn the toe became an item.”
WOW – SHADES OF JOHN, YOU KNOW WHO !! – AND – YOKO !! . . . OR WHAT !!
YVES TANGUY and KAY SAGE – AUGUST 1954.
PHOTOGRAPH BY IRVING BLOMSTRANN/COURTESY THE WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART ARCHIVES/C/O KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART
YVES TANGUY, ‘A Little Later’, 1940. PRIVATE COLLECTION
COPYRIGHT 2011 ESTATE OF YVES TANGUY/ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK/COURTESY KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART
re: ARS that’s as in …. so don’t be appropriating, dude !! hands off the image.
ROSENBERG does refer to the presentient aspects of the work.
“. . their visions became more distinct but share an element of science fiction. Sage builds shadowy skyscrapers that look like something out of ‘Blade Runner’, while Tanguy amasses fields of post-apocalyptic rubble.” (!!)
YVES TANGUY, ‘The Mirage of Time’ (Mirage le temps), 1954.
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART/ART RESOURCE, N.Y.
COPYRIGHT 2011 ESTATE OF YVES TANGUY/ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK./COURTESY KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART
KAY SAGE, ‘The Answer is No’, 1958.
YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY, BEQUEST OF ALEXANDRA DARROW. COURTESY KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART.
. . . and this was all way way !! before cell phone towers dotted the landscape, ‘screens’ dominated social communication, and digital social networks were all the rage !! . . . I mean, grid !!
ROSENBERG concludes:
“Five years later”, (after Tanguy died), Sage . . . . “still grieving and partially blinded by a botched cataract surgery . . . shot herself in the heart.”
yeah, for sure: check out the KATONAH site for more images . . . see the box: VIEW IMAGES/on the RIGHT HAND SIDE of the page.
~YVES TANGUY & KAY SAGE at KATONAH |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 17th, 2011, 10:39am
ok OK. here’s some pix from the unveiling – of the ROB PRUIIT- ‘ANDY WARHOL’ – SCULPTURE . . . that went up this past SPRING 2011 – in UNION SQ.
ROB PRUITT – with his ‘ANDY’ – MONUMENT.
ROB PRUITT, center back – with some of the original superstars of the ANDY WARHOL FACTORY,
from left:
ULTRA VIOLET; poet TAYLOR MEAD gesturing in the air; and Warhol’s main screenwriter (!!) ROBERT HEIDE, on the right.
a happy crew, still keepin’ alive – the legend.
bye the way. ANDY WARHOL – another giant of the ‘appropriation’ dance – if not the grand daddy – of ’em all.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, UNION SQUARE, NYC. MARCH 30, 2011
~they be doin’ . . . the ROB RUITT & ANDY WARHOL THING. |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 14th, 2011, 2:00pm
they look to be …….. ‘doing the . . . ROB PRUITT’ !!
or: YOU BE – PUNK’D !!
say what ?
why, that be – a new dance version – of that ole art world game, called – ‘appropriation’ !!
it’s a little hard to define.
but, basically, you know, that: OTHER ARTISTS’ WORK – APPROPRIATION – RIFF. CRAZ-EY DANCE – THING ?!!
it’s been going on for a long time. JEFF KOONS & RICHARD PRINCE probably hi-lited the ‘genre’.
but this time – the joke’s on Rob, !! how fun, ya gotta love it.
it’s kinda like an in-house – prank. Rob Pruitt being a self-declared and newly aspiring master of the ‘take’ – ‘appropriated’ images – attributed mostly by implication, and some not so obvious.
you know: improv. sometimes it is unintended, but that makes it even more freaky, no ?
the ultimate – random – match-up ?
most of the time – it’s just part of the on-going creative dialog.
unless it’s Richard Prince doing the Marlboro man ? Shepard Fairey and the A.P. photo of Obama ?
. . . and, don’t be treading on my photos, yo – that’s copyright infringement . . . damn straight.
TOM HOLMES, ‘Untitled Monument (Booberry on Blocks)’, 2011
Inkjet, watercolor, ink on paper, 11.75 x 11.75 in.
now showing at the BUREAU, NEW YORK booth / LISTE 16, BASEL ART FAIR.
JUNE 13 – 19, 2011
ROB PRUITT – GOOGLE EYES CARDBOARD MONSTER, at his one person show,
‘PATTERN & DEGRADATION’, this past SEPT 2010 – at Gavin Brown’s.
don’t remember the exact dimensions, but it’s life-size.
I think the google eyes were wired to move . . .
so, I didn’t really like this show – when I first saw it. spatially, it didn’t exactly hit the floor running . . .
but now, I really really love some parts of it, like this piece. drop-dead great – esp seeing it again, through new eyes.
. . . and, I could name 5 more artist – ‘appropriations’ – than the NEW YORK TIMES and TIME OUT did. but when the ‘appropriation’ source is not as easy to spot, and name check, and therefore credit the work to . . . like a big name like RICHARD PRINCE . . . and it’s derived from a way less-known artist – who remains unaccredited for his thoughts – it’s not so funny. esp if it’s close to home.
maybe if Rob would itemize his ‘appropriations’ – like he did his email log !! it would be a step-up, in the game. I mean, even conceptually. if not to actually help shed some light on some lesser-known talent !!
as, if . . .
so I guess you could say I didn’t like the show for its lack of: inspired/over-all composition – and for ‘political’ reasons.
but as I looked back at the show, just now – to grab those cardboard google eyes, I realized their image had stayed with me. burrowed in. made a lasting impression. . . I kinda realized – I was actually really really liking the show, gallery spatial dynamics and political agendas aside – better and better.
esp when it came to the individual stuff in the MACARONE side . . . and esp with these new TOM HOLMES dance moves . . . intended or not intended. entering the picture.
pun or no pun intended.
just the juxaposition is enuff . . . to make you look back, twice-over.
and, NOT !!
just cause I caught ALFREDO MARTINEZ – in front of the ROB PRUITT – ‘KITLER’ WALL – !! – at the opening.
. . . . with a great hair cut, bye the way.
and lookin’ as . . . cute as a panda bear !!
and, yo – that PANDA painting was good. as good as ever.
and so was this one. my fav !!
what can I say. words fail me. ya gotta love it – esp the second time around.
super slick. too cute. sick. fab. a kind of defining moment. esp graphic design-wise.
how about: ‘souvenir’ art – for the decade.
ALL PHOTOS FROM THE ROB PRUITT OPENING – ‘PATTERN & DEGRADATION’. SEPT 2010.
AT GAVIN BROWN’S ENTERPRISE & MACCARONE, NYC – BY NANCY SMITH.
THE TOM HOLMES IMAGE – IS COURTESY/BUREAU, NEW YORK.
~meanwhile, over in BASEL . . . |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 14th, 2011, 11:04am
OR: LOVE THE ONE YER WITH – PART 1
The theme of this year’s 54th VENICE BIENNALE is: ‘ILLUMINATIONS’.
. . . meant to “evoke the notion of artists as a source of enlightenment” !!
but it’s truly – ALLADIN’S LAMP – translation: illumination plus MAGIC – all the way . . .
here, in the gritty streets of NYC !!
URS FISCHER WAX CANDLE/VENICE BIENNALE 2011 – PHOTO COURTESY/MADE IN SLANT
ok, so you can’t be in VENICE – catching the giant URS FISCHER wax candles self-destruct !!
. . . read more: MADE IN SLANT
IRAQI ARTISTS / AHMED ALSOUDANI (LEFT) POSES FOR ADEL ABIDIN/PHOTO BY JESSICA CRAIG-MARTIN for THE NEW YORK TIMES
and for sure you ain’t in a private water taxi “piled in, a tangle of gowns and glitter” speeding “across choppy waterways clogged with other party commuter craft” motoring towards some fabulous afterparty in honor of the VENICE ART BIENNALE 2011 – actually this one was thrown by mega collector FRANCOIS PINAULT at the “Cini Foundation, an opulent former Benedictine monastery” . . . where “young aristos flitted about the gardens in Balenciaga and Lanvin” . . .
(what did I tell you about jazz era slouchy deluxe !! – ala MARION COTILLARD in MIDNIGHT IN PARIS)
. . . read more: : The Art World’s New Darlings/NEW YORK TIMES
yo, but if you be – in gritty hot New York City, you might have caught WIGGS, a young art collector – based in Harlem – at the corner of 8th Ave and 33rd St – with his newest purchase !!
a painting by his friend, SAMUEL MARK, it is a narrow, intense, portrait of a spray paint can – on canvas, and it says: GIVE MORE TO WHAT YOU WANT TO BECOME . . .
it’s as luminous as a lit candle, no ? and enlightenment – no shyte.
it’s always very fun, not to mention amazing – to see just how right on the streets of crazy mad New York be . . . on the issues of the day.
and usually doing it – better. make tha : BETTER, all in caps, dude.
it is signed and dated by the artist SAMUEL MARK, and dedicated to WIGGS on the back.
SAMUEL MARK – 2011.
WIGGS had just picked up a ‘gun’ piece on collaged paper he had recently bought from ALFREDO MARTINEZ, and had just g had custom framed.
GUN PIECE BY ALFREDO MARTINEZ. it is bigger than it looks in the photos – approx 2 ft. x 3 ft.
Alfredo based the built-up collaged paper that the drawing is done on – on the back side of a map !!
the frame was designed with a ‘window’ of plexi on the reverse to show the map.
detail, reverse. the map.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH – UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
~WIGGS . . . |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 9th, 2011, 8:44pm
OR: SATURDAY MORNING FUNNIES – PART II
OR: OUR BOY DOESN’T SKIMP – WHEN IT COMES TO SUSHI. YEP, IT TAKES A WHOLE VILLAGE TO FILL THIS PLATE.
JOSH HARRIS JUST POSTED A VERY FUNNY VIDEO – TITLED: THE BIG SUSHI / ALFREDO MARTINEZ CELEBRATES THE SALE OF A GUN PAINTING BY TAKING JOSH HARRIS, HESH HALPER & TJ FOR THE BIG SUSHI MEAL …… !!!
ALFREDO MARTINEZ – THE VERY PICTURE OF RAPTUROUS JOY !!
DAMN. IF THIS AIN’T THE RAPTURE – LAID DOWN UPON US – THEN, WHAT IS?
and double damn !! yes !! that’s HESH – or, as you may know him – WILL THE REAL ‘HESHER‘ – PLEASE STAND UP !!
it’s very interesting to note Hesh’s delicate little plate of rolls – compared to Alfie’s humongous fish farm !!
the best part of the clip ? Alfie goes in for the kill !!
yep, watch as Alfie deftly by-passes the big boys – to go in the for the delicate morsel on the left !!
his years in China have obviously left him skilled with the sticks !!
well, that’s why they call it – hot tuna !!
thanks for the clip, JOSH !!
ok. OK. here’s JOSH HARRIS – who filmed that little big sushi supper – gem.
some people in the (film & tech) press have called him the ‘Andy Warhol’ of the web. ouch. Peter Brant must be really rollin’ over – with that one. esp as it starts to really – pan – out !!
. . . just not his, Peter Brant’s day, I guess. meow.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH OCT 2010.
in fact, if you were living in the chicken factory of Josh’s great Wired imagination, or is that city ? what the hell. anyway. you’d probably catch him hard at work – looking pretty much just like this. ha.
in fact – see that little window on the left hand wall – towards the back . . .
some spooky music please . . .
well remember GREENBERG THE CAT ?
Josh’s found ‘saved’ cat that was actually a ‘rejected’ found cat – as in as hardcore bad as you can get, if you are a cat, dude – and re-found by Josh off some super desperate to get rid of him Craig’s list patron . . . well turned out Greenberg had pretty much used up his nine lives – by the time he got to Josh.
plus, he had a strong predilection for high places . . .
yeah, and Josh lives on the 5th floor.
in fact, that’s Josh’s fire escape, facing the street, he’s at the top.
see that little open space in the back window . . . yeah Greenberg jumped out, about a month ago, while Josh was sleeping. in fact, Josh says he got woken up by Greenberg’s wails from down under . . . and he raced down.
ever hear of the money shot ?
well, this is the splatter shot.
all Josh will say is: Greenberg had to get the big sleep shot.
big sushi dinner.
big sleep shot. what a diff one s word can make !!
JOSH HARRIS STUDIO PIX: BY NANCY SMITH.
WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN. NYC. OCT 2010 and MAY 2010.
~YUK YUK YUK. SO, THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT: HOT TUNA !! & OMG HESH ALERT !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 4th, 2011, 11:08am
or: I haven’t woken up to so much fun on a Saturday morning – in a long time.
ABE LINCOLN Jr. – ‘your moms went to chelsea and all you got was a shitty abstract’.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
WATCH OUT !! (shitty) ABSTRACT PAINTER – JOSH SMITH.
WHILE YOU ARE OVER IN VENICE UNDERWHELMING EVERYBODY WITH YR VISUAL SKILLZ – A LITTLE 4 YR OLD “ART WORLD PHENOM” – IS STEALING YOUR SCENE RIGHT OUT FROM UNDER YR NOSE – BACK HOME !!
PETER BRANT – “THE GUY WITH THE EYE” ? – DU DU DUDE, ONLY IF YOU, AND CAROL VOGEL SAY SO !!
AELITA ANDRE PHOTO BY (HER MOM) NIKKA KALASHNIKOVA/NEW YORK POST
ABSTRACT PAINTER, AELITA ANDRE SCORED THE WHOLE Of PAGE 3 In THIS MORNING’S NEW YORK POST !!
must be a slow news day in NYC.
what, no women being cut off in half by rushing subways ? the hard weiner scandal – dying down ?
~YUK YUK YUK. ABE LINCOLN Jr vs JOSH SMITH: TAKE II !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 4th, 2011, 10:43am
SPORK – WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY J.B. GHUMAN
REVIEWED BY NORA DEMENUS. JUNE 2, 2011
SPORK is an electrically colorful and vibrant little movie about a young, outcast girl, played by the cute and clumsy SAVANNAH STEHLIN, brought up in a trailer park who happens to be a hermaphrodite. Without a mother and father, her older brother, a pot-smoking slacker has raised her in the family Airstream and as a result she knows little of femininity and seemingly even less about hair care. Much like a modern-day Williamsburg scenester, she rocks a fuzzy and wild ratsnest of a hairdo, wears giant Terry Richardson-esque glasses and has little to no fashion sense. Ridiculed in school for her publicly known confusing sexuality, she has no real friends. In the trailer across the way, her neighbor and classmate – an incredibly foul-mouthed fly-girl who is hip on the dance scene – takes her to a booty-shaking club for a night and inspires her to sign up for her middle school dance off.
As a first feature length film for Director J.B. Ghuman Jr., it came across a bit too much like the leader in films like these, Napoleon Dynamite. However, he makes very good use of all of the conventions of this recently popularized genre of ‘unpopular teen-life in the middle of nowhere’ flicks – everything from its bright colors, cartoony editing, cool 90’s soundtrack, on-screen doodles (the sun and clouds are cleverly drawn directly over the film with crayon), and awkwardly amusing characters that you sort of have to love out of pity – making it an enjoyable film to watch. The plot was remarkably similar though, and throughout the film I found myself feeling as if it was a Napoleon Dynamite for young girls!
I thought the most impressive aspects were the costumes and dance numbers which basically owned the hour and half long flick. One in particular was really cool, when Spork’s neighbor drags her along to watch her compete in a high energy krumping competition. Everyone in the club had awesome almost tribal-seeming red and white face paint on, complementing their shrunken jean jackets, denim leggings, shiny bras and converse hightops – the lights, colors, and the sick, high-energy dance moves were most entertaining! Another scene that stood out to me was where the mean girl posse at school (nicknamed “the Byotches”) gather in the hallway to show off their slick skills (and hilarious matching hairdos), dancing and lip synching to a fun, choreographed ‘Is It Cos I’m Cool’ by Mousse T. Spork’s final dance in the school dance-off where she busts loose some serious break dance moves with the help of a twister mat and UV lights, is also pretty sweet.
A big thumbs-up to all of the young talent in the film – the dancing was supreme and they really brought across a great and funny exaggeration of middle/high school life!
I would say, go see it, it was a real fun time for sure.
It’s not boring at all – and it’s sort of cool, too. Although I felt like I had seen a lot of it done before, there were a lot of fun, quirky things that had yet to be done in the quickly growing (and quickly running out of new things to amuse us with) world of hipster cinema.
NOW PLAYING AT THE QUAD CINEMA, NYC.
watch: the trailer on the film’s official website.
where there is also a video interview option – with the film’s director – J.B. GHUMAN (above).
there is also a very enlightening Q & A with Mr. Ghuman in the film’s ‘PRESS NOTES’ option, left of screen, that begins with these intriguing words . . . “My father is from India, and my mother is from North Carolina …. ” !!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
artlovers has got a new movie page contributor !!
meet NORA DEMENUS – a recent grad of NYU FILM SCHOOL (CLASS OF 2008).
SPORK is her debut essay.
~NORA DEMENUS REVIEWS: SPORK |
Posted in Movie Reviews, The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 2nd, 2011, 11:47am
TEXT & PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH. MAY 20, 2011
“SOMETIMES LIFE GIVES YOU THE FINGER / AND SOMETIMES IT GIVES YOU . . . HESHER”
the real HESH – at the ANGELIKA FILM CENTER – last FRI MAY 13th, 2011 – the first day of the film’s commercial screening in NYC . . .
HESH aka HASH HALPER – the film’s off-the-wall HESHER, played so brilliantly by JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT. and he is hot. ok. violent and out of control too, what else is new . . . is a take-off on the real-life Hesh. outlaw. underwear, shirtless and all. somehow – just there. making the dots scramble, non-conformist. karmic ? moving through people and places with an unworldly wind, and seemingly not a care in the world – behind his back.
yep, this is the character . . . that launched a movie.
the character . . . behind the character.
He brought a small posse to the screening. although obviously the filmmakers had had some kind of relationship with him, Hesh, and certainly none of his friends had seen the flick . . . before, so nobody really knew what kind of a ride – they were in for. but the way Hesh showed up – was kinda auspicious, no ?
First off, before the flick even started the entrance was kinda grand. with the security guard inquiring of us – as to whether that was – the HESHER of the movie ? hell, yes !!
Then, when we got into the small multi-plex cinema, there were only two completely empty rows left – in the back which would enable Hesh and all his pals – to sit together . . . except for one nice straight-looking ultra conservative middle-aged businessman-type guy sitting smack dab in the middle of the last row of empty seats. what to do ? no problemo. Hesh, the real Hesh – just, rather imperiously told the guy, in no uncertain terms to scram.
“Hey dude – this is my movie !! You gotta move so me and my friends can watch it together. YO. I’m not joking dude, this is my movie. . .” After a few seconds of thinking it over – and probably for the better. the guy actually got up and moved. I’m not sure how I would have re-acted in the same circumstance, but anyways. the lights went down and the opening trailers went up . . . and, then what a shock – as ‘HESHER’ unspooled. I guess we all thought it would be one big hoot. a real laugh-fest. and in some ways it was . . . at first.
the first few times Joseph Gordon-Levitt hit the celluloid and popped up as the on-screen Hesher – we all went crazy. screaming and clapping with delight – damn !! he was HESH !! but then as the story progressed, and things got darker and more stuff was at stake – than we could have possibly imagined – the power of movie-making, dudes. the real-life peanut gallery grew just as silent and engrossed as the rest of the audience. no doubt about it, that was one shocking ride. it took you up and didn’t put you back down, for one moment. wow. how much of this was Hesh, and how much of this was movie magic ?
as we stumbled out, numb and in total silence – It was plain to see that the movie had hit home in ways hard to explain, to each one of us, in its own way, but in particular to the star attraction. Hesh looked to be in shock. shock and awe. First he said, and we all agreed in complete unison – wow, we didn’t think it would ever – be that good. damn. Then I asked Hesh, well did it trouble him ? I’m thinking bout the violence. but that seemed to go right over his head. He just replied, “well, its true once a friend of mine’s had someone die in their family, and I moved in for two years” . . . but, he continued . . the worst thing about the whole movie – was how it had stripped him of his anonymity !! Already, he complained, kids were waving to him – in the street !!
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVEITT as HESHER . . .
image/courtesy: HESHER – THE MOVIE
one of my very fave parts of the movie, apart from being captivated by the on-screen HESHER. was that primitive black line, like a marker. stick-man tattoo on his chest- blowing his brains out !! a metaphor – for these days – of challenged creativity and spirituality. dead-endness – if I ever did see one. In his rave review, ‘Antihero to the rescue’ – KYLE SMITH of the NEW YORK POST last week, spoke of: “Hesher, violent of hair, black of jeans and sporting a large middle finger tattoo on his back …” – but it was the front tattoo of the chalk-like stick-man blowing his brains out – at point zero – that got to me !!
p.s. did you catch how bad KYLE SMITH trashed “YAWNY DEPP” – aka – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” in the paper today ? ha. calls it “barely see-worthy” !! yep, our boy HESHER beats out Johnny Depp, this time around.
flamin’ outsider in his beat-up van – takes down the million dollar blockbuster – with its worn-out ways, hands down.
bye the way, I asked. the real Hesh – has no tattoos.
LOST.
but come to think of it, I did just come across some sidewalk chalk scribbles recently, that caught my attention.
looking back . . .
WHITE BOY RULES WORLD . . . . ?
wow. they do remind me of that ‘chalk-like’ stick-man tattoo . . . blowin’ out his brains, that the celluloid Hesher sports.
it was the night of the KARA WALKER opening at LEHMANN MAUPIN on the Lower East Side. April 21, 2011.
and hey, coincidence or what. Hesh, the real Hesh was there, too.
speak of the devil.
Flash forward to this past Sunday. Sunday May 15, 2011.
2 whole days after we had seen the movie – as I rolled into Williamsburg to do some business – who be calling my name out on the busy hub of Bedford St. – but Hesh, the real-life Hesh and his pal, TJ. hanging out a bar window, natch.
(I hate to ask, but . . . the real TJ ? not, I think . . . )
anyways, that’s how the real life Hesh manifests. in real time. movin’ and groovin’ to a secret beat. mystical. way beyond the simple hours as they peel off the clock face.
anyways, like I said. I had had time, 2 whole days, to think about it . . . and so since the opportunity presented itself, so beautifully, as if by magic. I asked Hesh outright what I was dying, burning ? to ask him right after the movie but didn’t quite have the words . . . having had my own buttons pushed by the film, and yeah. I was rendered immediately speechless afterwards too, just like the rest of the crew.
so catching the momento – I really tried to a nail Hesh on the violence in the film that bears his name. bears witness to him. Answer, Hesh. Was he shocked by the violent bent in the movie ?
“No”, he said. “My friends know I have violence inside me – but I manage to keep it in check.”
and there ya go, outta the mouths of the ‘marked’ ones, the ones that jump the grid, and spin the grind !! of everyday life – human truth. in a nutshell. go figure !!
ALL PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH – EXCEPT WHERE OTHERWISE – NOTED.
see: HESHER THE MOVIE/THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE
~WILL THE REAL HESH – PLEASE STAND UP . . . NEW PIX !! |
Posted in Movie Reviews, The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | May 20th, 2011, 11:05pm
HESHER – DIRECTED BY SPENCER SUSSMAN
REVIEWED BY NANCY SMITH. MAY 18, 2011
or: as the underground art world likes to say . . . . HESH, YES !!
‘HESHER’ – A FILM BY SPENCER SUSSER – PRODUCED BY NATALIE PORTMAN – WRITTEN BY SPENCER SUSSER & DAVID MICHOD – OPENED THIS PAST FRI – MAY 13, 2011, and, hell yes . . . it has a real shot of being to 2011 – what ‘LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE’ – was to 2006: the sleeper hit of the year – all the way to the academy awards !!
ok. it’s a little bit darker, and takes you to places off the chart – but hey – that’s what it’s all about. it hits home and presses your buttons, way before you realize – you’re silent and watching . . . and, not so laughing out loud, anymore. A brilliant family portrait that hits all age groups, and spares no one. it’s one big ride !! now, that’s what I call – entertainment.
ok. there’s some differences – HESHER rides around in a BLACK VAN !!
‘LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE’ scored 2 ACADEMY AWARDS:
ALAN ARKIN for BEST ACTOR in a SUPPORTING ROLE, and BEST WRITING ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY – to MICHAEL ARNDT !!
it also scored a (huge) nomination for BEST MOTION PICTURE (no joke !!), and ABIGAL BRESLIN, as the young girl who is at the center of the flick’s narrative – was nominated for BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS !! – her first time out.
artlovers’ film contributor, JAN ALBERT wrote of ‘LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE ‘ in her BEST of 2006:
“quirky, beautifully cast, and laugh out loud funny . . . not to oversell this small joy but it’s a great ride.”
see: ‘LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE’ – OFFICIAL WEBSITE
‘HESHER’ – has RAIIN WILSON, (THE OFFICE !!), JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT as HESHER (YES !! WAY, SUPER SUPER YES !!) and DEVIN BROCHU as TJ – the bullied bereft kid (YES YES & more YES !! Abigail move over) – sitting around the family dining room table, scarfing up the food – and the life !!
say what ?
quirky, beautifully cast and (in the beginning, cause ‘HESHER’ is a thrill ride – as in: no slouch !!) laugh out loud funny . . .
that goes way over the line and then some . . .
‘HESHER’ – to use Jan’s ‘LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE’ words, is quite simply . . . “not to oversell this small joy but it’s a great ride.”
RAIIN WILSON in particular comes in for some good words, in the ‘Sunshine’ comparison. he plays his role so convincingly – and so – on the low down, baby. he beats out Steve Carell, hands down.
NATALIE PORTMAN – in ‘HESHER’ . . . one of her best performances, ever !!
if you begin to think ‘HESHER’ goes too far – in the unexpected department. just think on the last time you opened up a conversation with a complete stranger – to find a beautiful loser !!
and like ‘LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE’ – this first feature by DIRECTOR SPENCER SUSSER, (NATALIE PORTMAN has a producer credit on the film’s website) – has an ace story line, that just never stops. a wicked witty take on the casual world we inhabit, as we all try to survive. . . and dream. not to mention an intimate portrait on the generational dance . . . that shines a sweet light on the darker side of the family dinner table.
not to forget knock-down production values. ace acting – the whole ensemble is amazing – it’s like watching a play. ace dialog. ace sets, ace cinematography. and ace (subtle as hell) sound effects & sound track.
instead of ALAN ARKIN as the outrageous grandpa, we get PIPER LAURIE as the sweet but goofy, clueless. not long for this world, and soon to pop-off grandma. if she ain’t dishing the potatoes, she’s sharing the bong !!
RICHARD BRODY reviewed ‘HESHER’ in the NEW YORKER, last week too . . .
‘HESHER’ . . . stars JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT as the burn-out of the tile, an unemployed, unhinged, uninhibited heavy-metal stoner who barges into the life of a bullied teen-ager (DEVON BROCHU) and violently imposes himself on the kid’s grief-shattered household . . .
In exchange for bed, board, and complete, uncritical, and unquestioning indulgence HESHER offers meaningful life lessons.
There’s also an awkward bedraggled supermarket cashier (NATALIE PORTMAN) who adds to the film’s gallery of run-down and used-up people in need of just the kind of jolt that a foulmouthed, undisciplined, impulsive pyromaniac with a heart of gold, can provide.”
yeah bro, it’s a rainy day. take a web ride & check out: ‘HESHER’ – THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE !!
but just know – it ain’t got nothing – on the movie.
ANGELIKA – here we come !!
ALL PHOTOS: COURTESY/THE OFFICIAL MOVIE WEBSITES
~’HESHER’ = THE NEW ‘LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE’ ? HELL, YES !! |
Posted in Movie Reviews, The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | May 18th, 2011, 12:43pm
