Lecture #1 of October: Kate Gilmore

Kate Gilmore's work was best exemplified when she said, "How can you punch someone in the face and be funny?"
Her highly amusing and sometimes difficult to watch performance videos were amazing and entertaining. I loved her casual aura, how comfortable she was in the lecture, and the ease at which she presented her work. Even though she's become very popular, she did not seem arrogant or pretentious. She talked to the audience in a way I could relate and understand. What I love about her videos is the cleanliness and simplicity in which they appear. I know that the process is not simple or easy to acheive, but the ideas are clear and decipherable. For example, in Heartbreaker, Gilmore literally and physically takes on that role - she tears apart a wooden heart with an ax.
Her work is also rather kitschy. I felt I could really relate to her aesthetic and the thought process that went into the formal elements of the videos. Gilmore had said she was very much aware of her color choices and the things she wore in the films because she wanted the colors to complement one another. In my work, I am also attentive to the colors and overall aesthetic of my images. The titles also lend themselves to the kitsch factor of her work. Titles like Cake Walk, Main Squeeze, Star Bright, Star Might, reference things we are all familiar with and really add to the quirkiness of the videos.
Another interesting aspect I found about Gilmore's work, is that some of the tasks she takes on are not accomplished. I was really intrigued by this because even so, the work is still successful without the success of conquering the obstacle she set out for herself. It makes me wonder what the videos would be like if all of them were a "success." I feel that her work would probably be more aggressive and not as light-hearted because there would be more determination and a stronger competitive outlook in order to accomplish a task. Gilmore talked instead about her work being about the progression of events, the struggle and committment to get what you want, and I found it interesting that none of the works were deemed "failures" even though the tasks were not achieved.
Even with that, I could not get enough of With Open Arms, the video with the superficial pageant-y girl getting tomatoes thrown at her. It killed me. That obnoxious face - the exaggerated gestures - it was just great. I'd love to have that video for everytime I felt shitty.