while looking for real jobs on the other side of graduation, i came across vice magazine's videos (they're looking for editors). i had heard of the vice guide to travel and watched a couple of shorts while perusing the do's and don'ts (the guiltiest of pleasures considering how MEAN those fuckers are), and am now addicted to their art talk series. some of the artists they choose are your typical nyc hipsterfuck jokes (lizzie bougatsos, anyone? no one should ever, ever let that one talk on camera again. i want that ten minutes back.), and some of them genuinely generate food for thought, love em or hate em (laurel nakadate, k8 hardy). actually, k8 hardy has one of the most relevant quotes to my life and work, nay, might i say, ANY feminist artist's life and work, that i've heard lately: "there's this assumption that we're making work to, like, prove our point. i'm not trying to prove a feminist point. this is not feminism 101, this is my world, my feminist world, and it's where i make art from."
but by far, by faaaaaaaaaaaar and away, the best episode of art talk is with vito acconci. the interview starts with his poetry career and moves forward into the present. did any of you know he's an architect/designer now? swiss cheese wtc, magnetic field tattoos, and firefly tunnels. genius is as genius does, for like 50 years. BOW YOUR MOTHAFUCKIN HEADS, ASSHOLES! you are about to witness greatness.
as far as other vbs tv offerings are concerned, i reccomend toxic napoli for children of men-esque chills, except these chills are REAL. and very intense.
the guide to travel videos are very surface, and are more entertaining than educational. i am into the spirit of them but often find the hosts really annoying and a little too present in a michael moore kind of way. still, i haven't seen anything like them and would reccomend the collected volume (available on netflix) to anyone. they are certainly fascinating in their own right.
