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Artist Statement
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The <im>Perfect Moment<s>appropriates a Robert Mapplethorpe photograph found in my pornography. We recast it with various Larrys and Bobbys for us to play with representation, desire something more, and hold my porn accountable. The 1-hour networked performances happen IRL while livestreaming to a sex camming website.
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Version 1
The first version of The <im>Perfect Moment<s> was part of an earlier series. FkN JPGs was a weekly networked performance. The Mapplethorpe was one of several fine art photographs that felt different than the more vernacular images that I was using. We were invoking history and questioning what is photography.
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For 352_LarryBobbyKiss_1979web0.jpg I kissed Paul Soulellis, Rhizome curator, RISD professor, artist and friend. The title here is the original name of the jpeg downloaded from the web. Photos courtesy of Anthony Malone.
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To view an extract from VERSION 1 please click here.
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Version 2
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At the Palais de Tokyo for You and Bobby Kissing, I was Bobby and the public was Larry. Anyone could kiss me. Those who participated wore a leather jacket and kissed me until I felt them pull away. The performance was positioned in the back of the Salle 37 auditorium and the Cam4 stream was projected to the stage. This version really challenged the audience IRL because no one was safe as a voyeur. At one point I made a kissy-kissy noise to invite the next Larry to sit on my knee. It broke the silence with a laugh.
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Produced for Paris Ass Book Fair, Palais de Tokyo, March 17, 2018. Photos courtesy of Guaizine. Video courtesy of Thomas James, Palais de Tokyo.
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To view extracts from VERSION 2 please click here.
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To learn more about Clary and their work please visit christopherclary.com
You can also support and follow Clary on Instagram and Vimeo.
All images are copyright of the artist (2018).
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To learn more about Balaclava.Q and view more queer contemporary art visit www.balaclavadotq.net.
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