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Art world icon Mark Kostabi stars in Italian film My Italy, directed by Bruno Colella. Initially, Kostabi was supposed to be the main protagonist of the project, but Colella added in the Polish artist Krzysztof Bednarski, Danish Thorsten Kirchhoff and Malaysian H.H. Lim – to the surprise of Kostabi. “Bruno Colella, the director, had been coming to my parties […]

Source: uInterview

The post Mark Kostabi On ‘My Italy,’ Director Bruno Colella & Sofia Loren [Video Exclusive] appeared first on uInterview.

The famous venue is holding its Fifth Annual “The 13th Hour” exhibit, presenting a wide variety of dark surrealism artwork on multiple mediums, including paintings, drawings and sculptures. Whether you’re a fan of the Gothic or the grotesque, “The 13th Hour” is guaranteed to please any horror fan, celebrating an array of works from acclaimed artists from around the world. Join the horror and surrealistic art communities in this celebration of beauty within the darkness in this one-of-a-kind display of mind-bending madness. Artists include Markus Blanchard, Scott G. Brooks, Matt Buck, Robert Craig, Matt Dangler, Darwin Enriquez, Jason Goldberg, Handiedan, Naoto Hattori, Scott Hove, S. Jenx, John John Jesse, Joe King, Luke Kopycinski, Mark Kostabi, Jean Paul Mallozzi, Chris Mars, Menton, Mr Mead, Anthony Pontius, Michael Ramstead, Zac Shiffer, Richard Williams, Jasmine Worth, Zane York and makeup artist Chet Zar.

Open to the public from October 26 to November 30, the...

The famous venue is holding its Fifth Annual “The 13th Hour” exhibit, presenting a wide variety of dark surrealism artwork on multiple mediums, including paintings, drawings and sculptures. Whether you’re a fan of the Gothic or the grotesque, “The 13th Hour” is guaranteed to please any horror fan, celebrating an array of works from acclaimed artists from around the world. Join the horror and surrealistic art communities in this celebration of beauty within the darkness in this one-of-a-kind display of mind-bending madness. Artists include Markus Blanchard, Scott G. Brooks, Matt Buck, Robert Craig, Matt Dangler, Darwin Enriquez, Jason Goldberg, Handiedan, Naoto Hattori, Scott Hove, S. Jenx, John John Jesse, Joe King, Luke Kopycinski, Mark Kostabi, Jean Paul Mallozzi, Chris Mars, Menton, Mr Mead, Anthony Pontius, Michael Ramstead, Zac Shiffer, Richard Williams, Jasmine Worth, Zane York and makeup artist Chet Zar.

Open to the public from October 26 to November 30, the...

The famous venue is holding its Fifth Annual “The 13th Hour” exhibit, presenting a wide variety of dark surrealism artwork on multiple mediums, including paintings, drawings and sculptures. Whether you’re a fan of the Gothic or the grotesque, “The 13th Hour” is guaranteed to please any horror fan, celebrating an array of works from acclaimed artists from around the world. Join the horror and surrealistic art communities in this celebration of beauty within the darkness in this one-of-a-kind display of mind-bending madness. Artists include Markus Blanchard, Scott G. Brooks, Matt Buck, Robert Craig, Matt Dangler, Darwin Enriquez, Jason Goldberg, Handiedan, Naoto Hattori, Scott Hove, S. Jenx, John John Jesse, Joe King, Luke Kopycinski, Mark Kostabi, Jean Paul Mallozzi, Chris Mars, Menton, Mr Mead, Anthony Pontius, Michael Ramstead, Zac Shiffer, Richard Williams, Jasmine Worth, Zane York and makeup artist Chet Zar.

Open to the public from October 26 to November 30, the...

Does a documentary subject have to be likable to warrant the film's release? Director Michael Sladek explores that provocative question on the eve of the release of his debut doc Con Artist (Tff 2009), about the 80s "business artist" Mark Kostabi. Director Michael Sladek Three years ago I invited a few friends to my apartment to watch a rough cut of my docu-comedy feature film Con Artist. A half an hour into the screening, one of these friends turned to me and said (in a jocular way that caused his entire being to shake, his eyes to grow wide, and his teeth to suddenly whiten): 'So it took an asshole to make a movie about an asshole!' This boldly inaccurate statement took me aback. For here's the reality: I am decidedly not an asshole. I say 'please' and 'thank you.' I hold doors open for the ladies. I love dogs and cats.

Andy Warhol promised us all our 15 minutes, but the subject of Con Artist, Mark Kostabi, wanted much more than that. Using a team of assistants and publicists, the artist created Kostabi World, which would produce en masse paintings that Kosabi would sign and sell, claiming, in part, his actions were a commentary on the art world itself. Kostabi got pretty far with his schtick until the recession hit in the '90s. You can't fault Kostabi for not being persistent, though; Michael Sladek's documentary about the fallen '80s art star follows Kostabi in his attempts to get back in the game with little success but plenty of awkward moments. Con Artist (Tff 2009), a so-called "docu-comedy," examines the nature (and dangers) of self-promotion and fame-whoring far before the days of celebutants and paparazzi chases. Notable appearances in the doc include director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,...

If you hadn’t seen Con Artist, Michael Sladek’s “docu-comedy” on 80s art star Mark Kostabi, but walked blindly into the theater in the middle of the film’s Q & A last Tuesday, you’d have a fair sense of the dynamic between filmmaker and subject. When asked to account for the film’s playful, comic tone, Sladek said, “I had no intention to make a serious film about the art world. I had no intention to make a documentary, frankly.” At this point, Kostabi, standing next to Sladek, turned his side to the crowd to whisper conspiratorially, apparently offering directions to the director. Sladek did his best to ignore them. “I prefer to make narratives, because I can control them.” Sladek entered Kostabi’s world (and Kostabi World - the studio where dozens of assistants have for years conceived and executed Kostabi’s paintings, which are not quite...

Editor’S Note: This is one of several interviews, conducted via email, with directors whose films are screening at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. “Con Artist” (Discovery) Director: Michael Sládek Cast: Mark Kostabi Synopsis: From the beginning, Mark Kostabi pronounced his raison d’être as an artist widely: to take all the cash and all the glory. A superstar during the frantic glory of the 1980s New York art world, Kostabi has unapologetically …...

I know it looks dire as it's 28% lighter (at least so far) and minus an artistic director, but no fear, there's still more to come, and with what's been announced theirs some interesting sounding stuff, especially a film we wrote about briefly called Accidents Happen. Also premiering is the comedy Stay Cool and the Danish film Original, along with the North American premier of The Exploding Girl which we also wrote about.

Check the narrative features, world documentary, and discovery lineups after the break!

World Narrative Feature Competition

A compelling cross-section of bold creative visions from every corner of the globe come together in this year’s World Narrative Feature Competition. Presenting a diverse array of unique voices, this international film collection includes premieres from a wide range of directors, such as U.S. indie veterans the Polish brothers and Tony-nominated Conor McPherson, as well as exciting newcomers. Together, these...