Every Friday, we're highlighting a specific video (or two, or three) for your end of week enjoyment.
Wow. It's been a while since we've done of these. Apologies.
Anyhow, it would be far too predictable to put up a video about Obama, and we're anything but predictable. So here's a couple of videos that reached me earlier this week. They're part of this "movement" called literal art.
Here's Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under the Bridge" being deconstructed:
And here's A-Ha's "Take On Me":
Funny, right? And also sort of catchy, you have to admit.
This ArtsJournal piece has a couple more videos and a thorough description of the meaning of literal art. I think, truthfully, it need not be seen as some kind of profound phenomenon. Rather, it's a solid idea well carried out. The result: we pay more attention to the kinds of decisions that music video directors make (something we at JJ never get too much of, anyway):
The "literal videomakers," notably DustoMcNeato and KeithFK, narrow the yawning chasm of images-vs.-song lyrics-vs.-celebrity persona by simply inserting their own lyrics, which flatly reiterate or question whatever is happening onscreen...
This approach repeatedly calls attention to (and calls into question) the video's image choices, making them appear laughably random. Or it subverts any greater, intended import they might have by flatly describing the images and thus "grounding" or re-contextualizing them in a more self-consciously 'down-to-earth' manner,while actually presenting a wise-ass commentary on them.
It is sweet that you can buy a pipe wrench t-shirt.
Happy Friday, everyone!
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