Gigantic ArtSpace
59 Franklin St. Btw. Broadway and Lafayette St.
Stephan Apicella-Hitchcock, Palimpsests

Apicella-Hitchcock’s art tends to be eccentric and in need of much explanation to be appreciated. Palimpsests features six different videos, one 3-D video, video stills, photographs, photographic montage, and one sculpture. And without reading the text, much of the work can seem obtuse and terribly non-specific.

The Plot Is Very Bare is a rather dull photographic stroll through a modern Little League dugout. Yet upon reading the accompanying text, it turns out that this is no ordinary dugout, but in fact the location of Stacy’s deflowering at the hands of Ron Johnson in Fastimes at Ridgemont High. Being of a certain age (which I am), I find the details of a John Hughes’ film utterly fascinating. Apicella-Hitchcock at his best, which is with The Swimmer, a series of video stills of the suburban wasteland north of Manhattan accompanied by Martin Sheen’s monologue from Apocalypse Now.

The images are an impressive display of visual intelligence and command of American popular culture. Oh, and there is a series of photographs documenting his pilgrimage via skateboard to deliver a copy of Black flag’s classic album, My War, to its birthplace in Redondo Beach, California.

Through May 1st.