Doing my postgrad in Art Curatorship, I was introduced to the American artist Matthew Barney. His series of film The Cremaster Cycle is a must see if you in any way like to be mentally confused, exasperated and basically just blown away. An utter artistic genius, even if he is, like Damien Hirst, what I would refer to as a celebrity artist, playing pure shock value and fraternizing with A-listers (Barney has a child with singer Bjork). Lets all say welcome to a version of Warhol's factory crew into the 21st century.
In a series of five films Barney plays out various scenarios, but the one I want to discuss here is #3, where he stages himself at the Guggenheim Museum. This building itself is an artistic feat, and draws hundreds of thousands visitors every year. Placed right on 5th Avenue it is part of the 'Museum Mile' of New York (others of which I will discuss in further posts). Designed by none other than Frank Lloyd Wright, who wanted to make the Met down the road look like a 'Protestant Barn' - the overall effect was the perfect place to house Guggenheims contemporary collection. But this clean and sparse building is flipped on its head with this Celtic installment of Barney's masterpiece. To find the series on DVD is a trial on its own, but if you have a look at that link (watch to the end), you will get an idea of what a major production work this was and deserves serious critical praise. The artist becomes mountain climber, Celtic warrior, and top recruiter of major personalities, creating a oddly sexual world that runs similarities to, among others, the 'Beauty School Drop Out' Scene in Grease, Alice in Wonderland, 8 Mile and Braveheart. It is bound to be something that you think about for years, even if it is just trying to work out what the hell is going on. Just have a look, see what you think, and if the DVD is too difficult to track down then the hard cover publication is available on Amazon, and well worth a purchase.
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