Thursday, May 26, 2011

Cultural Decay: TONY Edition #5


In terms of cultural decay, few institutions can successfully compete with Time Out New York (TONY).  However, a real contender to the title remains The Whitney Museum of American Art, that pulsating junk heap piled high with the discarded detritus of Modernism, Post Modernism, and all the other schools that make up the intellectual garage sale we currently call art.

And so, here is a helping of both the Whitney and TONY, all in one sumptuous paragraph:

Page 42 (in the Art section) details Cory Arcangel: Pro Tools.  To quote fully:  “You might describe Arcangel as an Internet-age existentialist, a sort of “I play Xbox, therefore I am” type who hacks old 8-bit Nintendo game cartridges to showcase his own version of a first-person shooter called I Shot Andy Warhol, and uses basic Photoshop color-gradient moves to create trippy digital abstractions printed as large photos … highlights include a projection-video bowling alley, made with backgrounds from bowling video games, as well as a golf game that invites viewer participation.  No need to bring your own clubs.”  I would, however, recommend a good caddy.

Page 76 (in the Music section) Orange Goblin + The Gates of Slumber + Naam + Kings Destroy, described as: “Hammy fun U.K. stoner-metal heavyweights Orange Goblin head up a bell-bottom friendly affair chez Andrew W.K.  Indianapolis doom diehards sow their deep downer vibes in the penultimate slot, supporting an aptly named new slab, The Wretch.”  I have now both read and typed this, and still have no idea what it means….

Finally, on page 94 (the always fecund Off-Off List), we find news of Standards of Decency 3:  300 Vaginas Before Breakfast.  “Taking inspiration from a quote by bard-we-deserve John Mayer, the Blue Coyote Theater pack … creates an evening of short plays about online porn.”  I think I’ll grab a bagel, instead.

More next week!

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