The branding stands out: For the second episode of Artst Tlk it’s “A new take on the talk show format hosted by award winning producer, artist, designer, and businessman Pharrell Williams.” Businessman is the word that stands out…since 2012 all those other aspects of Pharrell are not only confirmed but match his public identity. Businessman…huh.
Anyhoo:
Episode 2…you can check out Episode 1 but this no complex Doctor Who mythology that demands chronological order. And since this episode is about Art the animations are created by Kevin Lyons, dig his work.
Confession: I’m not familiar with KAWS‘ work or David Salle. What I’ve seen over the course of this episode is engaging…their personalities over the course of this episode is not and that’s kinda enough to walk away; to not sign up.
It’s one of the risks of doing these shows…Pharrell is saying “Yo…check this out these guys do fresh work!” so you hope the guys doing fresh work are fresh too. I discovered new art, thanks Pharrell but I also got bored too.
1:10 KAWS: “figure out a new scene…” The eternal struggle…do you stay where you are, build strong roots or do you pack it up, pack it in, let me begin in a greener land? Do you have to go to New York City/LA or can you succeed right where you are?
4:06 KAWS’ parallels: “a working parallel and what I like to do parallel” this fascinating dichotomy…he’s not talking about the dreaded Day Job…It’s pimping his Work to make $$$ to sell his Art…Q: How many excellent works have the Dreaded Day Job cost us? Cost Artists?
Note: Almost 10 minutes in and there’s no passion! Why is everybody so stiff? Where’s the enthusiasm…the child like playfulness? I can’t tell if Pharrell is friends with these Artists or just met em…this is not how real Artists talk when they hang out.
10:20 Pharrell: “We should give more light to the bartering aspect…” I can’t stand the people who complain about working for free; you can’t negotiate your value because you don’t have a value: there are no genuine economics to support the number you’ve come up with. Your art; your creativity automatically transcends traditional economics (even though you still gotta pay the rent, eat 3 meals a day etc.).
12:38 David Salle recognizes nostalgia is a trap i.e. Star Wars: Force Awakens. That’s engineered nostalgia just like McDonalds designed to taste good to a mass audience. There’s no challenge in nostalgia.
12:50 The Productivity Challenge: the Industrial Revolution does not apply to Artists. (Although Bowie had that remarkable 5 year output that’s more of an generous anomaly…much like Bowie himself).
13:45 “Where there’s money there’s attention.” Pharrell
16:55 “Critics…do they even matter?” If you gotta ask…then nope. Value is immediate and obvious. Goes back to working for free, too. Your work is not defined by critics: praise or hate or meh. In the Twitter era having critics is rather silly…it’s another example of how we cling to the past: this what we’ve always done so let’s keep doing that.
18:25 “You made it!” I don’t understand much less accept this idea. You get on the subway to get off at a specific station…that’s what it means to make it. That analogy can’t apply to an Artist you keep growing, failing, succeeding…there is no final stop, no final destination (excellent movie by the way!)
19:50 Martin Scorsese Presents…David Salle directed Search and Destroy a 1995 movie…peep the Trailer. Never saw it; after that trailer I’m glad I missed it.
22:47 Q: What’s the most common phrase in the world right now?
Done deal! Episode 3 here I come.
Sammy Younan Is Snooty & Snobby: W T F
Ziggy Was Here January 8, 1947 – January 10, 2016
