The Matthew Barney post will take hours because I could write for years on him. I have this discussion a lot with people, but I don't think anyone fully understand my love for this man and his work. And it really doesn't hurt that he is basically gorgeous. Damn Bjork. She is quite lucky. The Cremaster Cycle book by Nancy Spector, the curator from the Guggenheim is possibly my prized possession. While working at Tenet over the summer I made a lot of large purchases, like a new Holga camera with all of the attachments and accessories, Blink 182 tickets, a flight to New York and masses of clothing, but the only wise purchase I made was buying this book. Who spends $300 on a book? Me, that's who.
I had to leave it at home since it is so damn heavy and huge. Plus the casing is delicate and I'd rather not mess it up. Thank go the Sweet Briar Library has a copy though. I have been living in the library for the last week or so, and there have been multiple times where I have wandered down into the stacks to get a book, but soon find myself sitting on the ground, pouring over this book. I just planned on this being a quick post, but of course that didn't happen, the second "Matthew Barney" was mentioned.
Apparently I am not the only one that is super excited about owning the book...
In the beginning of this semester, I was in John's class, getting ready to apply a huge map onto a birch panel. I was applying the paste with my hands, because that was just the easiest way, and it was fun. John walked past, giving me an odd look for sitting there like a five year old, covered in paste, smearing it around. I said, "I feel like Matthew Barney playing with his Vaseline." He said, "You know Matthew Barney?" surprised, because 99% of people my age do not, actually, not enough people know him, but they will. HE is already in art history texts. Anyways, I told him I did, and that he is my favorite artist, ever. He sat in silence a minute, just looking at me, and finally came out with, "you make more sense now that I know that Matthew Barney is your favorite artist." I am still not too sure ho to take that, since Matthew Barney's most well known work is seriously messed up. Amazing, once you understand the symbolism and the story lines, but its messed up.
On my TweetDeck, I keep a search column open for tweets regarding Matthew Barney (along with other people/things, I' not THAT much of a creeper), and Once, around last May, a woman tweeted "Am following some folks I found searching for Matthew Barney. This one chick has a mad crush on him... Yeah didn't follow her." You know you have issues when you see something like that and know immediately know it is you. I replied and now we are tight, via Twitter.
My favorites on Twitter have a good amount of Matthew Barney related tweets saved:
@VIKTORIA_LISBET: I'm wondering what Matthew Barney does with all of the Petroleum Jelly in the privacy of his own home. Perhaps there will be some clue.
@kgoreee: I would like Matthew Barney for my birthday. Someone make that happen. This tweet will be making its return in 133 short days
Perfection: @BrandonJD: Football + Yale + Bjork + Male Reproductive Organs + Indulgent Art Films - Humility = Matthew Barney
This post has gotten out of hand. Good God.
I want to travel to Brussels, Isle of Man, or Turkey to see where he got all of his inspiration from for the films and to see where they were shot. I want to go to a film festival overseas to see the entirety of the films. When reading the Nancy Spector book, I realize that there are so many aspects of the films that I cannot understand through reading since I have not seen it. YouTube videos are not enough. I am missing hours footage. I want to fully understand the relationship between the Entered Apprentice and the Architect. Cremaster 3 the one I want to see the most. I wrote a huge paper sophomore year on The Order from Cremaster 3, on the Masonic symbolism and how, as the last film out of the 5, it pulls together all 5 films perfectly. One of my favorite parts of The Order is that includes Agnostic Front and Murphey's Law to represent the battle between two groups. In this case, New York punk versus New York hard core. Aimee Mullins as the Entered Novitiate, the Entered Apprentice's counterpart. And artist Richard Serra as the architect.
At least I am not as crazy as this guy.... I don't think I would even go as far as to get a Cremaster tattoo. I don't think. I hope I don't get to that point one day...
Aaaand if anyone wants to get me this shirt for Christmas, I would love you forever.
Okay, time to go back to my paper. This is was a monstorous waste of time, but worthwhile.
i have a cremaster 3 tattoo.
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