Monday, August 3, 2009

Where's Joaquin?

So, Joaquin Phoenix has dropped off the media radar. Theories:

A) It's in the can. Just awaiting the final death of the BrĂ¼no circus before unveiling the gotcha mockumentary of the year, the dim neon candle to which all efforts in this one-idea 'genre' will be perpetually held.

B) Genuine crisis. The next Susan-Boyle-style moment of skin-deep reflection awaits us all.

C) He's burnt his cool capital and whether faking it or genuine, in trouble or in control, the media who cannot brook ambiguity are not his plaything any longer.

I'm still interested in the public train-wreck he at least made himself out to be, even if the consensus that eventually emerges around it should remain entirely cynical. What he's demonstrated - regardless of intent - is the finite and fragile territory an artist can seemingly occupy in a world of commodity while holding onto their professional integrity. As an emerging artist (still! still!) with more areas of interest (still!) than I've yet been able to declare (and to a significantly smaller audience than Mr. Phoenix) the tolerance threshold of a career- and product-driven culture seems important to both understand and reject.

So, laugh while ye can, I guess..

In the meantime, casting an eye over the projects which have occupied me to date is long overdue, and something I'm intending to do here in the coming days and weeks...

UPDATE: I have moved the nostalgia project/online CV here