2008 WHITNEY BIENNIAL Busted

[jameskalm]

Dear Viewers,

As of last Monday, as I was informed at Henri Art Magazine, the five part "Kalm Report" series on the Whiney Biennial is linked to the Whitney's web blog. Play through Marina Rosenfeld's "Teenage Lontano" and a menu of thumbnails pops up, "Busted" and "The Camera is Off" are there, thanks JK

[MrWowforever]

congrats on the exposure mr. kalm, i knew they'd recognize this one! :)

[GlossyShoes]

how ironic :)

[fredjhenzel]

they should just allow everybody to tape it! That would be SO great!

[fredericduren]

The avant-garde's reign of terror is over!

Nihilism focused on creating a new tyranny as encapsulated in the Whitney Biennial. Why does it remind me of a Nazi AA gun bunker?

[asdffd]

I will go full blown apeshit on the next fool who steps to Mr. Kalm and hassles him about his camera!

[calebengler]

God Bless James Kalm.

[jeffreycollins]

Must be nice to get your own room like that one guy did in your video. but those things DO NOT look like painting. But more a stretched vinyl on supports.

I like how at the end there is the street interview where the one guy says it all...nothing interesting about the show.

[noelcuratorial]

You should go see the extension of the Biennial at the Park Avenue Armory.  There are some very good pieces there. It far outshines the work at the Whitney. Also, the video work at the Whitney was very good. Your video doesn't capture any of that.

[jameskalm]

If you watched my video you'd see that I was run out of the museum. I DIDN'T HAVE FREE ACCESS TO RECORD THE SHOW. If you have the time, check out "The Camera Is Off" four part report, I did get some glances of the videos, but still unothorized. JK

[MrWowforever]

some of these folks want you to work harder for them. why no stunts?!, light yourself on fire mr. kalm! :)

[jameskalm]

MrWow,

You're reading my mind. In the next "Kalm Report" I'll be riding my bike on a tightrope across the atrium at MoMA with a back pack full of dynamite while reporting on a Karen Kilimnik retrospective.

[MrWowforever]

could you narrate in five languages at once, thanks.

:)

[xpez]

Don't you hate douche bags that are inarticulate and cant remember any artists names or anything they saw. Seems to me they were sleep walking in a daze with no reason to be there. If you interview retards with opinions of a five year old...no wonder your video portrays a hopeless show of imbeciles.

[jameskalm]

xpez,

That's right blame the audience, it's all their fault.

[xpez]

I didnt know bad art was because of someone's fault.

I can blame the audience for a dispassionate opinion that's far worse than the art would ever be.

[jameskalm]

Far worse, but not unexpected, at least they made the effort to actually go to the museum and walk through the show. Maybe something with come back to them in their dreams.

[MrWowforever]

"i didnt know bad art was because of someones fault." such a strange way to say something. the audience not caring is worse than 'art would ever be'. douche.

[xpez]

I noticed you like saying douche and repeating what everyone writes.

Until you actually say something interesting your plagiaristic comments have little affect.

FYI

[MrWowforever]

i used the word 'douche' because you used it to describe people in front of the whitney,who 'deserve it'. that sounds elitist in an ignorant way. kind of like a douche.

[xpez]

You know how I know your a douche....becasue you keep going on and on about douche-ness.

I am done commenting...

You can have the last say if it will make you feel unlike a douche.

[MrWowforever]

your dad is a douche

[GlossyShoes]

if there is nothing worthwhile to remember then why would you recall the artists names unless you are there as a reporter and not a spectator?

[xpez]

Well I don't recall any of the interviewees actually saying "I am disappointed that nothing grabbed my attention, therefore I cannot remember anything or anyone..."

Although you might infer that, but their lack of an interesting objective opinion about the show in general makes me question their cognitive abilities to discern any contemporary relevance out of the 2008 Whitney biennial.

[GlossyShoes]

If you read the reviews in numerous publications of the biennial most of them are bad and negative.

[MrWowforever]

'question their cognitive abilities to discern any contemporary relevance...'sure,sure....you'­re calling them stupid, we get it. why so hostile to a random audience? 'retards with opinions of a five year old'...the five year old analogy slips in again.with all due respect; you sound like a douche!

[xpez]

Thanks for your insightful comments...I guess you are more interested in comments than the subject of the video.

please let us know when you a have an opinion about the Whitney or the people in the video judging the WB///

And why so harsh? For one, its kind of disrespectful to reduce a collection artwork to the dustbin just because obviously someone hasn't a clue what they are looking at.

Secondly, they deserve it.

[MrWowforever]

douche

[MrWowforever]

i'll go the whitney to look at the show, but you are still a douche for saying 'they deserve it.' my point.....who the f*** are you? douche.

[xpez]

MrWowforever - FAIL...

[MrWowforever]

mrwowforever-FAIL...

[GlossyShoes]

When I went to the 2006 one I had to leave my credit card for the audio tour, i didnt have my id so i left my credit card.. I was one of the last few to leave the musuem, the lady who gave my id back was so nasty, she told me, she was waiting along time since my credit card was the last id left and she was about to throw it into the trash if someone didnt show up soon.. She was not joking, she was serious.

I dont like the staff there at all-very rude.

[GlossyShoes]

I watched your whole tour of the biennal, great job. from your tour I really didnt like what i saw, seems very boring. I really enjoyed the 2006 Day for Night Biennial, i'm surprised this one seems so bland.

[tamaragonzales]

James this is truly the "pièce de résistance" of the Kalm report. Matt Mullican lookng good!

[jameskalm]

Thanks Tamara,

Dont miss the four part "The Camera is Off" return to the Whitney Biennial.

[rgdutrasp]

well done mate

keep doing it

cheers from sao paulo, brazil...

[magikglasses]

JK I can relate to your covert nervousness.

It reminds me of the rush you get while doing Graffiti. Someone is watching, they may be watching YOU! And if they catch you,you are in trouble1!! I was at a show at FIT once, and I was a fiend with my cell phone, and even got hassled about that. I can't imagine running around with the video cam!

I like your "this is an art project" angle. You rock, art on!

[blackbranches]

James. I am so proud of you. Wow... I really thought better of the Whitney. I am disappointed in their short-sightedness on this one. How cool is it, though, that my students from Tennessee went all the way to NY for spring break and happened to meet you?!?! I only wish they had seen the show by then so that they could have ended up in your interview! I'll keep assigning your videos to my classes-- it's among the best things I have forced art students to digest...ever! Thanks James. Mira

[jameskalm]

Mira,

It was such a pleasant coincidence to run in to one of your students while making my rounds. When she said her teacher had her write a paper on one of the artists featured on the "Kalm Report" I knew she had to be from Tennessee. I told her and her friend they could just say hi, but they're a bit shy, WAY COOL, JK

PS Stay tuned for "Return to the Whitney" trilogy

[MrWowforever]

nice to hear you are going to pursue this further. go get 'em mr. kalm!

[Reesiecup45]

Hey James, we met you outside the Whitney on Thursday (from Tennessee) but weren't able to see the show until Friday, but I thought I would comment and let you know our thoughts. We were disappointed with the show. There were a few pieces that stood out, The Bechtel pieces, The brass rods hanging from the ceiling, and her other works, and the glass cubes that were shipped through fed ex. I felt like it was a lot of trash, and that the art was about who you know, or how big your wallet is.

[davidfstarr]

Thanks James.

[RonSchira]

James, we have artists in Reading that are better than a lot of that stuff. I went on their website and looked at the selection and, except for a few things, it was boring and overinflated. The curators are more interested in listening to themselves, also, you need a team to tackle that place from different corners, by the time they stopped you all, it would be too late and you could have a conglomerate video, either that or buy an eyeglass or collar spy-cam, also also, I wasn't invited either.

[jameskalm]

Thanks Ron,

The "Kalm Report" is the lowest of low budge. I thought about the hidden camera thing, but I'm hopping the art aspect of the production will suffice.

I'm a team of one.

Check out "The Ethics of Aesthetics" it's posted at the Brooklyn Rail site now, thanks as always JK

[eenkjet]

thanks james. liked the hypnotic drawings a bit. also like the interview portion. these people have no alliances to preserve in the art world. and i'm sure with your exposure their layman's opinions get back to the curators. pop that bubble baby! thanks again!

[camargovalentino]

Question???????? so whos ass do all these artist have to kiss to get into this horrible show or how does it work?

[jameskalm]

The 2008 Biennial is curated by Henriette Huldisch, Assistant Curator at the Whitney, and Shamim M. Momin, Associate Curator at the Whitney And Branch Director and Curator of the Whitney Museum at Altria, and Overseen by Donna De Salvo, the Whitney's Chief Curator and Associate Director of Programs.

.

[RonSchira]

"This is the last time I am going to warn you?" - from a damn rent-a-cop. What a prick!

[bromirski]

i'm reading a good book right now, you might like it... it's called Permissions, A Survival Guide, Blunt Talk about Art as Intellectual Property, by Susan M. Bielstein. very informative, and not dry at all.

really liked the bit where you gather impressions from visitors exiting, i could watch ten more minutes of that easy.

[burtoncharlessmith]

You are the bad boy of the art world!

I love it!

[spawndonacle]

Jeez, I liked it much more than those in attendance. I was tossed from the Metropolitan once for giving the rabbit ears to the two sided VanGogh portrait that is free-standing while my brother photographed us together. Vincent and I, by the way, look like brothers. That fact has hurt me deeply throughout life. We really need to install something in your bike helmet. Why do we get the impression that your camera is the size of a shoe box with an LED? Head size? As always, many thanks.

[MrWowforever]

if you look like vincent, be proud.

[spawndonacle]

Imagine if you will, the Trek Kalm Kam. We could install the optics behind the vent holes and use a handheld blackberry type device to assist in framing and voice capture. JK would easily be confused with the collector crowd. This will help avoid arrest and expulsion, but will do little to lessen the risk of suit.

[peteinstro]

Proves that it can be a waste of time for culture at certain huge establishments. Would love to see the film footage from the art museum-surveillance camera of you getting "busted" filming art, LOL, it's so ridiculous! A skirmish to see who has more power to show artwork(?!?!). Great effort, it was entertaining, thanks!

[MrWowforever]

did you see any good painting?

[jameskalm]

In the first room there are two large Mosset monochromes. The pieces by Joe Brady when the guard busts me, two Robert Bechtle works (I've dug him since the early 70s photorealist stuff) Karen Kilimnick and the catalogue says Mary Heilmann but I didn't even see them.

[MrWowforever]

thanks, i heard mary heilmanns pieces are almost more sculptural than straight painting. there are so many good painters working now, in my opinion, more painters should be in this show(and the past 3 or 4). thanks for trying mr. kalm:)

[wizzlewolf]

Oh clever angle!!! Love the disclaimer!! LOL LOL I have to give you a LOT of credit. I just couldn't ever chance this. It made me nervous just watching. Yes, I am a chicken (hen?). I have no balls!!!!

YOU ARE SO BAD!!! LOL LOL LOL

Hey, I forgot!! I had a similar experience once at the Detroit Institute of Arts. A guard told me to spit out my gum. I pretended to do that, but actually "cheeked it". A few galleries later, I was busted again. LOL LOL LOL Take me to JAIL!!! Oh geesh!

[blackberryjuice1]

LOL, I'm sure one of your videos will be in the Biennial soon... trust, you flatter them too much.