Mark Jenkins: Go Figure! from gestalten on Vimeo.
This short film shows the process and the thought processes of an artist. Not sure where I come down on him. Jenkins is perceptive when he says the reactions of people walking by are the key thing. The guy walking by with a giant floor lamp in his hand? An unplanned bit that makes the whole thing work.
This short film shows the process and the thought processes of an artist. Not sure where I come down on him. Jenkins is perceptive when he says the reactions of people walking by are the key thing. The guy walking by with a giant floor lamp in his hand? An unplanned bit that makes the whole thing work.
2 comments:
I see what you mean about being ambivalent about his process. Some of the images, like the one you mentioned where the man had his head inside the wall as a passerby carries a lamp, are definitely surreal and interesting. Others of that type can be disturbing for the simple reason that we've seen far too many indigents in need of help behaving in bizarre ways on the street. Then there are the ones who look threatening.
The babies and creatures made from tape are interesting enough, but I'm not sure what his point is in making them either. A lot of it just looks like art school experimentation with no real skill or vision involved in the results.
I happened across Thomas Medicus's work a few days ago and liked it a lot. Maybe you will too.
I guess that's a big part of what gives me pause as well. There's a way that people react or don't react to homeless people in public places. And when you're alone with strangers in public who seem like they could turn violent/not take no for an answer, that means something as well. So it seems like playing with fire. Does he know what he's doing? Are the results worthwhile. In fairness I guess I'd need more context to tell.
Some of it, like the babies, I can justify just on a "see what happens" level.
Mdicus has found a very intriguing field to work in, creating art on these little slats. I'm not sure if I've seen his work before, but thank you for getting me to pay more attention to him.
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