Being little more than a glorified whorehouse (the one next door shut – we’re considering “diversifying”) it’s not surprising that we at Ten HQ consider purveyor of muck, John Waters, as something of a spirit animal. Much excitement this AM, then, with the news that the filmmaker will be a guest of the Venice Biennale. Eschewing his usual medium, he’ll show work inspired by a advert for an art school he saw in his home city of Baltimore. “Many years ago, there was a real sign for a real art school in Baltimore on St. Paul Street below 25th Street,” he said to the Baltimore Sun, “It said, ‘Study Art for profit or hobby,’ which is about the most politically incorrect thing you can say if you’re an artist. I loved the sign and was astounded by it. It was completely unironic, and I decided to parody it.” This means a collection of mid-century inspired signs that each offer a different tongue-in-cheek reason to study art – “for fun or fame”; “for profit or hobby”; “for breeding or bounty”; “for pride or power” and “for prestige or spite.” Ten highly recommends.
The Biennale will open on May 13, and run for seven months.
