Alchemy of Comedy... Stupid

Arceneaux Edgar

"Edgar Arceneaux: The Alchemy of Comedy... Stupid" documents a multi-channel installation by contemporary video artist Edgar Arceneaux. Centered on video footage of popular comedian David Alan Grier, the artwork examines the nuances and structures of comedy routines, jokes, and humor itself. Arceneaux shot footage of Grier over the course of a week performing at three sites in Chicago; the resulting artwork calls into question the relationship between performer and audience, comedy and comedian, and laughter and pathos. Alongside stills from the video, the book presents facsimile reproductions of pages from a notebook kept by Arceneaux during the production of the work, as well as transcripts of some of Grier's routines; together, the materials offer a revealing look into the formative processes of both comedy and art.

Contents:

Foreword: Edgar Arceneaux in Chicago – Judith Russi Kirshner
Fatherhood is Purely Biological – Lorelei Stewart
Notebook: The Alchemy of Comedy... Stupid
Joke Transcriptions
Retarded Kids and Cancer
Brown Tattoo
Fatherhood is Biological
Dad's Cripple Van
Credits
Color Plates

About the Author

Edgar Arceneaux has exhibited his artwork at many museums and galleries, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Kunstwerke in Berlin, and the Studio Museum in New York.

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