Comments on: don’t pick up the telephone http://badbeat.la/2010/03/13/dont-pick-up-the-telephone/ Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:12:14 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: James http://badbeat.la/2010/03/13/dont-pick-up-the-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-831 James Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:57:44 +0000 http://badbeat.la/?p=4945#comment-831 Recession era drag queens can't even afford penises. Recession era drag queens can’t even afford penises.

]]> By: Adriana http://badbeat.la/2010/03/13/dont-pick-up-the-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-823 Adriana Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:49:26 +0000 http://badbeat.la/?p=4945#comment-823 Well, she definitely went above and beyond what would be "necessary" for the video itself - so I'm going to go ahead and say (upon my own judgment and opinion) that this was an attempt at what might be considered high art. Both you and I are thinking in terms of her "trying" (and her eventual failure) because of the fact that if any point was trying to be made, it was lost in the convoluted imagery. There's something to be said about the power of subtlety and why overexposure to just the aesthetic transforms any point trying to be made to nil. You also mentioned that it strikes you as "overly cartoonish", which wouldn't necessarily be criticism if it were done intelligently, the viewer sees the lack of "wit" and substance which in turn makes the video look like more a joke than the satire it was trying to be. And really, any "art" that requires one to dig to the point of exhaustion to see the message, really isn't saying anything at all (and the artist probably knew THAT from the get go, whether they want to admit it or not). Well, she definitely went above and beyond what would be “necessary” for the video itself – so I’m going to go ahead and say (upon my own judgment and opinion) that this was an attempt at what might be considered high art. Both you and I are thinking in terms of her “trying” (and her eventual failure) because of the fact that if any point was trying to be made, it was lost in the convoluted imagery. There’s something to be said about the power of subtlety and why overexposure to just the aesthetic transforms any point trying to be made to nil.
You also mentioned that it strikes you as “overly cartoonish”, which wouldn’t necessarily be criticism if it were done intelligently, the viewer sees the lack of “wit” and substance which in turn makes the video look like more a joke than the satire it was trying to be.

And really, any “art” that requires one to dig to the point of exhaustion to see the message, really isn’t saying anything at all (and the artist probably knew THAT from the get go, whether they want to admit it or not).

]]> By: Young Ian Lockey http://badbeat.la/2010/03/13/dont-pick-up-the-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-821 Young Ian Lockey Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:38:04 +0000 http://badbeat.la/?p=4945#comment-821 I'll match your Matthew Barney and raise you one impossible penis concealment. I’ll match your Matthew Barney and raise you one impossible penis concealment.

]]> By: Derek Lipkin http://badbeat.la/2010/03/13/dont-pick-up-the-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-809 Derek Lipkin Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:01:41 +0000 http://badbeat.la/?p=4945#comment-809 Is this supposed to be considered high art? I don't mean that in a pejorative manner. It just strikes me as trying to be high art, beyond something formulated to drive sales or beyond that which is used to promote typical pop music. I say "trying" because I think it failed to achieve that status. Rather than being an interesting take on women's empowerment, it strikes me as overly cartoonish and arbitrary. Maybe I'm missing the point. But I don't think that is my failing. The video tries its hardest to conceal that element. Is this supposed to be considered high art?

I don’t mean that in a pejorative manner. It just strikes me as trying to be high art, beyond something formulated to drive sales or beyond that which is used to promote typical pop music.

I say “trying” because I think it failed to achieve that status. Rather than being an interesting take on women’s empowerment, it strikes me as overly cartoonish and arbitrary. Maybe I’m missing the point. But I don’t think that is my failing. The video tries its hardest to conceal that element.

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