A new video work is complete! This has been a busy week – I’ll add a bunch more stuff that I did a few days ago in the next post, but I wanted to add this video first, as it was a “commission” for my friend Nick for his new short written work titled “daveDave”, which will be performed as a reading along with this video in the Detroit area in the near future, and eventually be published in a limited edition “chapbook” along with the video as a limited edition as well. More on that as it develops….
This video represents a huge departure for me, in that it actually uses the human form (myself), and it is not directly dealing with the natural landscape and industrial/technological infrastructure as a subject, but is metaphorical in its representation of natural phenomena – namely the growth of hair as a metaphor for the seemingly infinite renewal power inherent in Nature. More chatter after you view the video:
YouTube - Direct Link to "Narcissus Kisses Sisyphus (or Dave Shaves: A Self Portrait)"
Now click below for some extra commentary and background, or continue to the prevoius post… This piece can be seen as an homage to some of my heroes of conceptual art, video art, and even independent film heroes, namely Vito Acconci, Dennis Oppenheim, Bruce Nauman, and oddly enough, Martin Scorsese – he did a student film in 1967 at NYU (where I also went to film school) titled “The Big Shave” that was essentially a guy shaving in the mirror, and cutting himself – that was his first and last art film – it was an allegory about the draft, the Vietnam war, shaving to join the military so you could go kill people in Vietnam, etc…
I also reference “heroes” from the mythological Greeks as well in the title, and you can find out how Narcissus and Sisyphus relate by following those links to Wikipedia if you like. The Greeks are also referenced in my “seminal” conceptual video piece Votive (Baudrillard and Sartre in Plato’s Cave), which of course has a lot in common with this piece, as they both deal with versions of reality as defined by the video screen. Two of my other recent photographic works deal with reproducing reality photographically, and also reference “feedback” or a picture within a picture vortex - namely my series Trash Can Triptych, which is now a single image, which I will post here in the next post, and panoramic series Pine Lane Pole Series, which was an ephemeral site-specific conceptual piece that I installed over a period of days at a major rural intersection where I live. Both of these pieces refer to an earlier site-specific installation series of photographs titled Infinity Wall that I installed in a tiny gallery “Ljósmyndkompan” (Photo Closet) in Akureyri, Iceland in 1998. All those photos were printed at a local one-hour photo printer, and then immediately rephotographed to create the vortex/feedback effect. I have plans to pursue this avenue further as time passes, any thoughts? Nick, you need to comment….
Love the video Dave! Its cool as shit. I was a little worried at first…I was afraid the shaving of the beard would lead to the chest and then the rest of the body. I was expecting a hairless, buck-naked Dave on my computer screen. (Don’t let that give you any ideas for your next video piece!) The ending was great….it was almost like watching reverse evolution….modern man evolving back into neanderthal man! I could have done without watching you kiss yourself over and over, but I’m willing to disregard my homophobia and give the video two thumbs up!
I don’t see anything homo about it. You nailed what my writing about you was – based on the last two sentences, granted – but it all fits. And for a homo dose, I like you shaved. I love the backhair while your face is clean. Did you listen to A. Mars any further? They are playing across the st. and several other close areas before I have to jet off for ‘Jerk.’Trimble kills me.
Eirikur the VikingNo: Do I know you? After reading some of my printed work, Dave asked me to write about him. So I did. I’m not sure he expected gay semi-porn (since Dave and I have never gone near there; but he does know my voice). The written piece and the accompanying video are a testament to a friendship that has gone on, pants on, for many years.
You didn’t kiss anything other than a TV screen.
I was just kidding about the homophobia…..and no, I don’t really find the video gay.
Dave, the vid accompanies my tale about you front and central. I don’t think I’ve even seen you front and central. The project was a joy, and I think we can come up with another one, if you wish to, in short order. Since the words I have to type to get this on this site are ‘Boy parking,’ I’m inspired again.
Love goes out. Nicholas
Dave, I know I can come up with a perfect ideal for exploration of the landscape of the body. I’m currently thinking about running around Zug Island with you, mid-90s, taking photos of the piping and other things. Then, I think, well that’s a body, too. I’m not saying that one of us needs to be dismembered, but that … well how to put this … I got really comfortable being unclad in front of a camera; I liked to be behind the camera when I was young. I found it suited me / my work to freeball in front of the camera as I aged.
I sent daveDave to Cooper, with just a shot of Chaz and a link to your blog so people could see the video. I kinda downplayed what was going on, but the crew will pick up. I’ll let you know when it’s posted. Then we wail on the chapbook, please.
Peace, Nicholas