On the Hour: An Artist-Curated Film Screening
By
July 30, 2009
This week, New York’s CANADA Gallery hosts a screening series of works curated by video and film artists chosen by the gallery. Each of the nine artists have been given a one-hour timeslot for their presentation. The elements of each artist’s presentation range from humorous, scatalogical examinations of the body (Brooklyn-based film artist Darren Floyd’s presentation, screening Friday, is titled “Face or Ass?”) to philosophy (queer theory- and feminist-informed artist Cecilia Dougherty’s contributions, shot with a Coolpix digital still camera, include “bits borrowed from Martin Heidegger and others”), and inevitably, their overlap. Here, we speak to three of the curators about their programming choices. (LEFT: BLACK DICE, KOKOMO 2007. COURTESY THE ARTISTS AND CANADA NEW YORK)
ALLEN CORDELL
When CANADA asked me to curate a video screening as part of their summer series I knew I wanted it to be a fun, colorful and subversive show. I came across the quote from William S. Burroughs where he says: “When you cut into the present the future leaks out.” I thought this would be the perfect theme.
I’m featuring my own work, as well as works by Takeshi Murata, Black Dice, Jacob Ciocci of Paper Rad, Shana Moulton, PFFR, Jimmy Joe Roche, Sophia Peer, Joe Quinn, Ray Roy, Roboshithead, Robby Rackleff and Showbeast.
Takeshi Murata, Black Dice, Jacob Ciocci and Shana Moulton are established artists whose work I admire and like. PFFR made Wonder Showzen, which was a great, fucked-up television show. The other artists are friends of mine whose work is similarly psychedelic and/or absurd. Roboshithead was the best public access show in New York City. Sophia Peer is a video artist currently working on a project for Bermuda (the father of M.I.A’s baby). Joe Quinn is the smartest and scariest person I’ve ever met, and he’s studying to become a mathematician. Jimmy Joe Roche, Ray Roy, Robby Rackleff and Showbeast are all part of the Wham City art collective in Baltimore, of which Dan Deacon is also a part. I have this theory that Japanese pop culture is really insane because Japan is the only country that’s ever been nuclear bombed. To me all of the videos in this show represent what I imagine mainstream television will be like after the apocalypse.
