Sparkle's Tavern, 1985
a film by Curt McDowell
featuring a complimentary publication with writings by George Kuchar and William E. Jones.
Wednesday, December 28, 8pm
PARTICIPANT INC (http://participantinc.org) 253 E. Houston Street
#Empire published by Franklin Street
Franklin Street Works Press has published the collaborative tweet endeavor with Adam Baran as part of theirSlipstreams exhibition. Copies are free with an SASE sent to:
Franklin Street Works
41 Franklin Street
Stamford, CT 06901
Experience the Wait: Höller review
The Fanzine has published some musings on the spectacle heavy Carsten Höller show Experience at the New Museum. Read it here.
On Jack Smith Restorations at the L
A review of and response to the energetic (youthful) reception of the MoMA's recent Jack Smith retrospective was just published over at the L Magazine.
Dennis Cooper Interview
Lambda Literary has published a conversation that took place between myself and acclaimed author Dennis Cooper last October. Read the full text here
DL: An Unseen Cloud
An Unseen Cloud
featuring video works by Cecilia Dougherty, Dani Leventhal and Leslie Thornton
Wednesday, November 30th, 8pm
PARTICIPANT INC (http://participantinc.org) 253 E. Houston Street
Interviewed on Bad At Sports
Performance artist Rachel Mason interviews me about Dirty Looks and Mary Boom! over at Bad At Sports. (http://badatsports.com/2011/bradford-nordeen-and-dirty-looks/)
Dirty Talk Reading Event @ La MaMa
Dirty Looks will participate in MIX NYC's MIXploratorium at La Mama Galleria with:
Dirty Talk: a cinematic reading event by Dirty Looks
Featuring Jennifer Blowdryer, Stephen Boyer, Bradford Nordeen, Daniel Sander and Masha Tupitsyn
Sunday, November 27th, 5pm La MaMa Galleria 6 East 1st Street New York, NY
Halsted Review in Art in America
Halsted Playing Halsted, a review of William E. Jones' forthcoming title Halsted Plays Himself, has been published in Art in America. Read here.
DL+QT: Gary Indiana
Queer Text at Dixon Place presents Bradford Nordeen of Dirty
Looks introducing an evening with Gary Indiana who will screen the
Michel Auder video based on his teleplay, A Coupla White Faggots Sitting Around Talking,
a hilarious indictment of bourgeois life in 1980 New York City starring
Indiana, Jackie Curtis, Cookie Mueller, Taylor Mead and Alice Neel.
Dixon Place / 161a Chrystie Street. November 1, 7pm. $6
Take a look at an overview of the slightly lackluster line-up for this year's View from the Avant-Garde over at the L Magazine.
ESP TV Episode 8 airs on Oct. 18, 10pm
Mary Boom! returns to the small screen for the Manhattan Neighborhood Network program ESP TV on Time Warner channel 67 on Tuesday, October 18th, 10pm. There will be an intimate screening party here, also.
DL: City of Lost Souls w/ Translady Mag
Dirty Looks is teaming up with Amos Mac's (Original Plumbing) new enterprise, TRANSLADY FANZINE to present Rosa von Praunheim's 1983 trans rock musical City of Lost Souls! PPOW 535 West 22nd Street, 3rd Floor. September 28th, 8pm.
I'll be executing my first VJ set at the Monday night weekly, New
Humans, on the 26th. Come to see some startling visuals and listen to
the wonderful Rachel Mason/Little Band of Sailors. The Cove 108 North 6th Street, Brooklyn. Free
A night of underground outrageousness from Mike & George
Kuchar. With a special appearance by Marie Losier, who will screen her
portrait film of George, Electrocute Your Stars. SilverShed / 119 West 25th Street, Pent House Level. July 27th, 8:30pm.
Dirty Looks has launched its first fundraising initiative via Kickstarter! Please consider donating funds to ensure the longevity of this series!
A Night of Dirty Looks - a benefit show
A Benefit for Dity Looks / Splatterpool / 138 Bayard St. Brooklyn
Friday, August 19th / 8 - 11pm
OMEGA
JARDEN+SHADOW LOVER | RACHEL MASON+LITTLE BAND OF SAILORS | MARK
GOLAMCO, PLUS the return of Robert Smith's BROTHER, MY LOVER welcomes
Ari Banias and Austin Dale to the BML family, along with very special
guest JACK FERVER! Videos by ZACKARY DRUCKER, GLEN FOGEL, PAUL MPAGI
SEPUYA, NARCISSISTER, LUTHER PRICE and MICHAEL ROBINSON!
Take a look at my career overview of the brilliant filmmaker/artist Lynn Hershman Leeson on the event of her new documentary !Women Art Revolution! over at Fanzine.
DL: Under the Stars a Rooftop Screening
A night of experimental potrait films of stars and their makers.
Featuring Joseph Cornell, Glen Fogel, Lewis Klahr, Marie Menken, Paul
Mpagi Sepuya, Matthias Müller and Luther Price. SilverShed / 119 West 25th Street, Pent House Level. July 27th, 8:30pm.
I will be introducing Marie Losier's documentary, The Ballad of Genesis & Lady Jaye(paried with Jonathan Caouette's short All Flowers in Time) at Newfest 2011 on behalf of Dirty Looks. The screening will take place at the SVA theater, Sunday July 24th Click here for tickets
Reading at Word Up Pop Up - July 10th
I will be reading at an event held at Word Up's Pop Up bookstore in Washington Heights (4157 Broadway, near 176th st.)
on Sunday, July 10th at 2:30pm. Other readers include Nicholas Boggs,
Ben Nush, Greg Gerke, David Moscovich, Daniel Nester, rahrahreel, Mike
Topp and David Welper. See the New York Times' piece on the pop up
store here.
Rooftop screening of ESP TV Highlights
Highlights from prior episodes of the Manhattan Neighborhood Network program ESP TV for which I am an on-again, off-again host will be screening on SilverShed's rooftop, Saturday July 9th at 8pm.
DL: Female Trouble/genderfuck program
A night of experimental film and video that explores & explodes
normative roles of femininity and gender. With work that spans five
decades, these artists queer female subject space via drag tactics,
narrative juxtaposition and overt performativity, with styles ranging
from masquerade to mythic, performance document to exposé video
zine. Featuring Conrad Ventur, Patti Podesta, Steven Arnold,
Narcissister, Vaginal Davis and Zackary Drucker. PPOW Gallery / 535 w22nd st. 3rd floor. June 29th, 8pm.
I've written a piece on experimental German film actress Magdalena Montezuma over on Slant. Check it out!
DL: Taxi Zum Klo + Little Joe
Dirty Looks is teaming up with Little Joe magazine to screen Frank Ripploh's classic Berlin sex film, Taxi Zum Klo.
Shot in 1980 West Berlin, Taxi is a rare glimpse into pre-AIDS gay
life. Frank, a public school teacher by day, trolls the toilets at
night in search of tearoom trade. When he falls for Bernd trouble
ensues as Frank's libidinal behavior conflicts with Bernd's more
traditional views on coupling. At PPOW Gallery / 535 w22nd st. 3rd floor. May 25th, 8pm.
Download the chapbook from the Dirty Looks: Michael Robinson/Jack Smith
screening now. Beautifully designed by Deric Carner, the publication
features my text on Smith, 'What's Underground?', stills and a
wonderful, unpublished text by Robinson about the making of his Liz
Taylor / Michael Jackson Egyptian Spirit-world Epic, These Hammers Don't Hurt Us
Episode 1 Air Date: April 27, 9:30 PM, Channel 57 Time Warner, 83 RCN Episode 2 Air Date: May 4th, 9:30 PM, Channel 56 Time Warner, 83 RCN
An agreement has been met for the return of Mary Boome and Coco - so stayed tuned for further enstallments of ESP TV!
What's Underground? on Slant
Take a look at the Slant blog to read my "introductory" piece on Jack Smith, What's Underground?, a piece that sets the stage for the slew of Smith screenings this month and the Gladstone solo show next month.
DL: Michael Robinson / Jack Smith
Dirty Looks will screen No Presidenta
rare gem by Jack Smith alongside a selection of works by contemporary
visionary Michael Robinson, including his recent, award-winning film These Hammers Don't Hurt Us at Participant Inc. Wednesday, April 20th at 8pm
Issue No. 2 of Little Joe, "a magazine about queers and cinema, mostly," is now available for purchase from their website and discerning stores everywhere.
The magazine contains my treatise on Nicholas Ray's classic Johnny Guitar as well as contributions from Justin Bengry, James Boaden, A.K. Burns, Shannon Michael
Cane, Stuart Comer, Lauren Cornell, Benjamin Critton, Christopher
Duncan, Kevin Killian, Wayne Koestenbaum, Ryan Linkof, John Cameron
Mitchell, Jenni Olson, Frank Ripploh, A.L. Steiner,
Rebecca Thomas, John Waters & Matt Wolf.
Madame X rules Dirty Looks
Dirty Looks will screen Madame X -
An Absolute Ruler
by Ulrike Ottinger with very special guest Gary Indiana, discussing his
involvement in Ottinger's film practice at Participant Inc. Wednesday,
March 30th at 8pm
Follow my coverage of the Armory Show and its many peripheral fairs
over at The
Fanzine. Divided into 4 days of coverage this year's offerings seem
to be a real mixed bag. But only time will tell...
William E. Jones at Dirty Looks
Dirty Looks will screen Finished
by William E. Jones, alongside Fred Halsted's short film, The Sex Garage at Participant Inc. Wednesday,
February 23rd at 8pm:
Fred Halsted, The Sex Garage
(1972) 33 mins. 16mm on DVD
William E. Jones, Finished
(1997) 74mins. 16mm
Visit dirtylooksnyc.org or
join the Dirty Looks NYC facebook group for up do date information
about future screenings.
Hosting the pilot episode of E S P T.V.
I will host the variety-style live taping of E S P T.V., the
pilot episode for a video art and experimental music showcase organized
by Brooklyn gallery Louis. V E.S.P to air on cable access Manhattan
Neighborhood Network. My hostess character is inspired in large part by
Manhattan Cable Access Queen, Robin Byrd. BE WARNED!
The taping will be held on Friday, January 28th from 7 - 10pm at Louis V E.S.P.
140 Jackson St. #4D
Brooklyn, NY
Dirty Looks write-up in Slant!
Head over to The House Next Door,
Slant's official blog, to read Dan Callahan's interview with me about
the films of Curtis Harrinton and the screening series, Dirty Looks
Dirty Looks at Participant Inc.
A curatorial project that I have launched, Dirty Looks, a monthly
platform for queer experimental film and video, will see its first
screening at Participant Inc. Wednesday, January 26th at 8pm with:
The Films of Curtis Harrington:
'Fragment of Seeking' (1946)
'On the Edge' (1949) Dynasty Episode 4.7 'Tracy' (1983)
Visit dirtylooksnyc.org or join the Dirty Looks NYC facebook group for up do date information about the upcoming screenings.
'Masquerades and Hysteria' at [2nd Floor]
My limited edition catalogue essay for the [2nd Floor Projects] exhbition Wandering Another featuring Marco Vassi and Daughters of Houdini, curated by Margaret Tedesco opens January 22, 2011. Visit their website for more information or to order the publication.
Paul Thek at the Whitney
Head over to Butt Magazine
to read my mixed review of the Whitney Museum of Art's handle on the
wonderous Paul Thek. A whole review without a mention of Death of A
Hippie, Mike Kelley or Chris Kraus! But don't worry, I threw in some
Jack Smith for good measure...
NPCAC Screening in NYC
WHAT IS LIFE WITHOUT THE LIVING? will inaugurate NP Contemporary Art
Center's New Media room, as part of their 'WE' program. Please swing by
Thursday October 21st, 8 – 10 p.m. $3 dollar drink tickets!
Program: David Scheid, Margot Kidder, 2005, 13 min, video
Luther Price, A, 1995, 60 min, Super8mm (screened on DVD)
Independent
programmer Bradford Nordeen collects two searing works that tear open
Hollywood narratives to address these startling queer perspectives. The
program title misremembers the opening lyric of the theme to Imitation of Life. The tune hauntingly floods Luther Price’s A. Alongside David Scheid’s video, Margot Kidder,
these pieces use drag and collage editing tactics to reconstruct
Hollywood from a space of queer fantasy, creating private narratives
from popular fiction. David Scheid will be in attendance for the
screening, which will feature a special introductory message by author
and critic Kevin Killian.
What Is Life Without the Living
is a touring program that has seen screenings at Artists’ Television
Access in San Francisco and Mandrake in Los Angeles. The New York event
will be accompanied by a free publication of images, illustrations, an
essay, and artist writings designed by Deric Carner.
WHAT IS LIFE WITHOUT THE LIVING? Los Angeles Screening
Screening Details:
Monday September 13, 8:00 – 10:00pm
Mandrake 2692 S La Cienega LA, CA 90034
Program
Margot Kidder 2005, 13 min, video
A 1995, 60 min, B&W and Color Super8mm (screened on DVD)
This event is free and will be accompanied by a publication of images, illustrations, an essay, and artist writings.
The
program title misremembers the opening lyric to the theme to Imitation
of Life. The tune hauntingly floods Luther Price’s A (1995). Alongside David Scheid’s video, Margot Kidder
(2005), these works reconstruct Hollywood from a space of queer
fantasy, creating private narratives from popular fiction. The event is
curated by moving-image scholar Bradford Nordeen.
Named one of
the top-20 living avant-garde filmmakers in Film Comment’s recent
poling, Boston-based super-8 filmmaker Luther Price has been frequently
likened to Jack Smith, Karen Finley and Matthew Barney for his raw,
visceral cinema. In 'A' Price concocted the most narrative tale of his
25-year career: a cyclical feature in which a faded starlet (Edie)
courts suitor after suitor and fades into an alcoholic Lassie-laden
haze. Price portrays the heroine as she spirals deeper into destructive
delusions, turning on her lovers like an amped-up Jeanne Dielman. Edie
is also a ghostly, childhood memory, based on Price’s mother and her
obsessive viewing of woman’s pictures.
David
Scheid is a video artist and clinical counselor who works in
out-patient OCD clients. 'Margot Kidder' meticulously reconstructs 3
films from the actress’ golden period to illuminate Kidder’s peculiar
personal narrative. Scheid infers that Kidder’s infamous downfall was
present all along in these fragile performances. 'Margot Kidder' throws
these clues into plain view, presenting a dismaying decoding of these
otherwise commercial films. Like Price’s work, the film also serves as
an intimate portrait of a homosexual fan’s obsession with a female
star. The 13-minute found-footage film is an alarming depiction of the
filmmaker’s arousal, disdain, compassion and compulsion towards the
eponymous subject.
“Roses and Red, Blood is Black…A is a
relentlessly rancid alcoholic and drug-induced journey through which
Edie, a washed-up and broken movie starlet finds herself alone and ugly
with only glittering memories of her silver past.” Luther Price via
Canyon Cinema
WILWTL will see a San Francisco screening
co-hosted by the wondrous writer Kevin Killian at a location yet tbd,
late September with a possible New York screening too! Keep checking
in, dear reader...
Chales Ludlam films screening at the X-TRA Launch
I will be hosting a the screening of two "lost" Charles Ludlam films at the forthcoming launch for Volumer 13 No. 1 of X-TRA Contemporary Art Quarterly on September 12 at the Mandrake. The issue contains my review of the films. At the event, I will screen Museum of Wax and
play continuously the non-narrative Gooseflesh. The films were restored
digitally by Ira Sachs and Adam Baran, screened for their series Queer/Art/Film in February, though they have since been taken up by OutFest's legacy project for more cohesive restoration. I hope to see you there!
Mandrake 6-9 p.m.
2692 S La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90034
(between Venice Blvd and Washington Blvd)
Charles Ludlam Review in X-TRA
My review of the Lost Films of Charles Ludlam is in the September issue of X-TRA Contemporary Art Quarterly (and now online).
"Mimesis is missing the point, which was pleasure, all along. Revising
narrative based, normative cinema, Ludlam produced a revelatory
sensation-based cinema without counterpoint in the breadth of
avant-garde cinematic production."
I will also be presenting these films at Anthology Film Archives
on Thursday, August 19th at 7pm. Immediately following will be a second
screening of newly uncovered material - GOOSEBUMPS and THE BACCHAE!
Empire live blogging!
Barring any (and many potential) technical difficulties, keep your eyes
trained on this or my twitter page as Adam Baran and I endure and
correspond to the unendurable Empire. All eight hours of silent,
Warholian avant-gardia for you to experience off hand, in this
distanced mediatized format!
http://www.twitter.com/bradfordnordeen
If,
for some unfortunate reason, the technical glitches overcome the live
nature of the technology, ...the correspondence will be published in
the foreseeable future, so take note!
Kelis Review on Fanzine
My lengthy over-view of Kelis' musical career timed with the release of her 4/5th lp, Flesh Tone, is available to read over at
The Fanzine.
"Meat" Screening May 7
MEAT Two Videos by Luther Price
Opening Reception Friday May 7, 8:00 – 10:00pm
(Screening at 9pm)
Louis V E.S.P. is excited to announce the installation of MEAT and a
screening of the 60-minute film at 9pm, on May 7th. Meat (1990, 1991)
is comprised of film, performance documentation, slide projections and
sculptural ephemera in which Boston-based filmmaker, Luther Price
restages a surgical nightmare he endured in the 1986 political uprising
in Nicaragua. Shot at close range, his scarred body is a product of
that singular traumatic event, repetitive medical routines, and a total
revision of self-consciousness. The single-channel film is comprised of
found surgical footage, gay pornography, performance documents and
collage interventions. Luther Price’s work hosts a psychology all its
own, a state that the viewer enters into, totally affected by this
heart (and gut) wrenching body horror.
The installation, organized by Bradford Nordeen, will be accompanied by
a complimentary publication of images, illustrations, an essay, and
artist writings.
The event is organized to contribute to 'Watching, Wounded: Disgust
as Psychodrama Luther Price's Meat' in Film Philosophy. Also on the
horizon: a creative narrative celebrating Kelis' new album 'Flesh Tone'
for thefanzine.com and a review of the Lost Films of Charles Ludlam for
the September issue of X-TRA Contemporary Art Quarterly.
New FANZINE Feature
Take a trip over to FANZINE to take a look at my conflicted take on the reality/competition series, Rupaul's Drag Race. "You began to get the sense that the show might be exorcising away any funky flesh for fantasy."
I'm rounding out some publication and reading details in the NY area, so do keep checking in!
Paris Screening October 19
A single channel projection of my video, Sweethead,
will be screened in Paris this week at bar la Baroc in a program
entitled 'Why Doesn't the Stomach Digest Itself' by the indefatigable
Timothy Cooper.
October 19 from 21h at the bar Baroc, 36 rue de Sambre et Meuse, at Belleville Metro Colonel Fabien. Admission is free.
'The Cinema of Whitney Houston'
Animal Shelter: issue #2 will be on stands in June and will
feature my collaboration with Kevin Killian: 'The Cinema of Whitney
Houston' as well as new works by Penny Arcade, Veronica Gonzalez, Gary
Indiana, Travis Jeppesen, Lorelei Lee, Brian Pera, Katrin Pesch and
Marias Viegener.
WTCDTD Screening Dec. 14, 2008
A special thank you to everyone in attendance at the 'What They
Could Do They Did' experimental filmmaker's cooperative screening in
North London on December 14th. I was a guest programmer at the event
and brought together 5 time-based art works which addressed performance
and popular music in an experimental idiom. The evening, organized by
Timothy Cooper and Joshua Morrall, was a success and drew in a 30+
crowd.
Please keep checking back as I'm looking forward to some very exciting announcements in the oncoming months.
The launch of FEVER PITCH went splendidly. Performers Ayana Hampton
and Cara Elizabeth wowed a packed Peres Projects with their renditions
of 'I'm Coming Out', 'Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're
Going To?)', 'I Should Be So Lucky' and 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head'.
Thank you to all who were in attendance!
Please visit the book's minisite
for a page of video references and a muxtape of all of the songs and
performances broached. If you do not yet have a copy of FEVER PITCH,
you can acquire it online there as well.
There's all sorts of exciting news in development. In the
next couple weeks, I'll post my feature-length commentary of 'The
Bodyguard' for your downloading pleasure! Keep checking back for
details regarding a collaborative article on the Cinema of Whitney
Houston that I'm writing with Kevin Killian that will appear in his
forthcoming FANZINE book and in Hedi El Kholti's new magazine "Animal
Shelter".
And finally, I'll be leaving the blazing California sunshine this
September for a year-long MA course in Contemporary Cinema Cultures at
King's College London.
FEVER PITCH –
A New Book Regarding Pop Culture
Launch Party with Reading and Performances
Thursday August 7, 6:00-9:00 p.m. Peres Projects
969 Chung King Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90012
With the refreshing candor of a self-proclaimed fan, FEVER PITCH
assesses pop culture and the icons who inspire this cultish adoration.
Using psychoanalysis, post-colonial theory, film theory and pop culture
jargon, Bradford Nordeen examines the psychological impulses and sense
of community engendered by Victoria and David Beckham, Whitney Houston,
Kylie Minogue, Grace Jones and Diana Ross.
Nordeen examines his exhaustive replay of Houston's 'I Will Always Love
You' and analyzes the tune's structure, its dependence on The Bodyguard
narrative and its stoic emotionality. Grace Jones traipses "from
reverence to rape in a single note," while the Posh and Becks issue of
W is likely their "highest moment of command over the American pop
market." Kylie Minogue "encircles herself with emblems of gayness, but
they are merely visual muddles, transgresses that she might rise
above."
