continuing looking through art 21 reader -
i was thinking about paul mccarthy and how his work is so loud, jarring, rash and also pertinent and accurate of the violence of power.
i am distanced from his work by his violence though - he goes far with it - bodily, gory...
what am i wanting for my own work? I cannot deny violence or the bodily. But I also can't go as far as he... because i am then pushing the viewer out - they aren't in the room with me. i would have shoved them out with disgust.
he is the underbelly of our polite society and its structures.
from art 21:
"Paul McCarthy’s video-taped performances and provocative multimedia installations lampoon polite society, ridicule authority, and bombard the viewer with a sensory overload of often sexually-tinged, violent imagery. With irreverent wit, McCarthy often takes aim at cherished American myths and icons—Walt Disney, the Western, and even the Modern Artist—adding a touch of malice to subjects that have been traditionally revered for their innocence or purity. Whether conflating real-world political figures with fantastical characters such as Santa Claus, or treating erotic and abject content with frivolity and charm, McCarthy’s work confuses codes, mixes high and low culture, and provokes an analysis of fundamental beliefs."
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