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Courtney Love's Art Opening: We Lived Through This
By
Jen Carlson
Published May 2, 2012
Modified May 2, 2012
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By
Jen Carlson
Published May 2, 2012
Modified May 2, 2012
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Last night was the press preview for Courtney Love's art show, entitled And She's Not Even Pretty, which will be on exhibit at Fred Torres Collaborations starting tomorrow and through June 15th. We headed over to Chelsea for the 5 p.m. opening—after being told by coworkers covering the much more "important" May Day events, "have fun at your 1% art party!" We did, and there was a lot of free wine.
The gallery is a couple floors up from the desolate stretch of 29th Street, and you're immediately greeted with what appear to be 45 self-portraits of Love herself. The artist (stop snickering) would later tell us that these weren't all of her, explaining somewhat mysteriously, "Sometimes... but sometimes no. I hope the girl doesn't recognize herself if she comes. If she's coming, and I don't want her to... it's kind of violent." So presumably some of these manic pastels are portraying someone else in Love's life... and our money is on Gwyneth Paltrow (whom she mentions in the video explaining her artwork).
Love was visibly uncomfortable with her new art world surroundings, which greatly differed from the atmosphere of a late night dimly lit rock show, and upon getting to the gallery she retreated immediately to a back office where she surrounded herself in the safety of cigarette smoke. And who can blame her? When she first walked in at least ten young media women—each in their own way echoing her '90s Hole days style—flocked around her. But this was something new for Love; she wasn't here to scream a song in a babydoll dress, she was here to bare her older and more tattered soul, in a new way. She told us, "It feels more vulnerable, it's not like music where you mix it and put it out there and go hide."
As for the work itself, even if it was a little repetitive, we enjoyed it. Each piece gives a lot, leaking out hidden bits of whatever may be lurking in the dark corners of Love's mind. And what was on her mind last night was probably aptly summed up by the words on the first piece you see upon entering the gallery. They read: "I'm a celebrity get me out of here. Don't you know who I am?" In the midst of a gaggle of media people belting out questions, the woman accompanying Love said, "You want to just get up and walk out?" And off she went.
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and she's not even pretty
art
courtney love
fred torres
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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