"Black & White Tapes"
Paul McCarthy
Interviewed in his Los Angeles studio, Paul McCarthy discusses the genesis of his Black and White Tapes (1970–75), a suite of 13 videos begun while he was a student at the University of Southern California (USC).
Also featuring excerpts from the video Ma Bell (1971) and works in the exhibition Central Symmetrical Rotation Movement—Three Installations, Two Films (2008) at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.
Featured artists
About the artists
Paul McCarthy’s video-taped performances and provocative multimedia installations lampoon polite society, ridicule authority, and bombard the viewer with a sensory overload, of often sexually-tinged, violent imagery. With irreverent wit, McCarthy often takes aim at cherished American myths and icons—Walt Disney, the Western, and even the Modern Artist—adding a touch of malice to subjects that have been traditionally revered for their innocence or purity. Whether conflating real-world political figures with fantastical characters such as Santa Claus, or treating erotic and abject content with frivolity and charm, McCarthy’s work confuses codes, mixes high and low culture, and provokes an analysis of fundamental beliefs.
