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con artist
http://www.ConArtistTheMovie.com
Con Artist Facebook Page
Directed by Michael Sládek
USA, 2010, 84 minutes
Download Online Press Kit | Stills
REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
"An entertaining documentary portrait of one of the art world’s most outrageous provocateurs."
- Stephen Holden, THE NEW YORK TIMES
"An entertaining boom-era fable"
- NEW YORK MAGAZINE
See all reviews >
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 signed and sold thousands of paintings made by painters/ laborerswho attest to not having seen Kostabi paint for years. His practice reveals a shrewd critique of valuation in the modern art
world, but when his purposeful skewering turned to ruthlessly biting the hands that fed him, he was rapidly jolted from the position of daring
darling to the unspeakable persona non grata.
This energetic, punk-fueled docu-comedy traces the meteoric rise and fall of a bizarre visionary and the art market that birthed him, but director Michael Sládek focuses mostly on present-day Kostabi and his obsession with getting back on top. Interviews with art world figures and vintage clips of Kostabi's outlandish television appearances are entertaining and insightful, but Con Artist's best moments come in the abundant tag-along footage Sládek shoots with the artist. While getting as close as one can to a man who's been called "the black hole of irony," Sládek also begs an interrogation into what American culture is based on, and what it takes to pop its bubble.
"Compelling."
- Nick Schager, THE VILLAGE VOICE
"An entertaining reverie on the concept and addictive nature of celebrity."
- Jay Weissberg, VARIETY
"An entertainingly satirical doc"
- Frank Scheck, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
"The filmmaker gives his...subject more than enough rope to hang himself"
- TIME OUT NY
"An excellent documentary"
- Benjamin Sutton, L MAGAZINE
"Shows, effortlessly, what one does in the face of human loss"
- Diego Costa, SLANT
"Sladek was obviously not out to do a puff piece"
- Jonathan Melber, THE HUFFINGTON POST
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RECENT SCREENINGS
April 8 - 14, 2011
Facets Multimedia
Chicago, IL
http://www.facets.org/
April 14 - 21, 2011
Denver Film Society
Denver, CO
Director Michael Sládek in person 4/14 at 7pm & 4/15 at 7:15pm
April 1 - 6, 2011
Laemmle 's Sunset 5
Los Angeles, CA
Artist Mark Kostabi & director Michael Sládek in person! 4/1 & 4/2 following the 7:30 shows, 4/3 following the 3:10 show. Additional Q&A with Michael Sládek 4/6 at the 7:30 show.
March 25 -31, 2011
Grand Illusion Cinema
Seattle, WA
http://www.grandillusioncinema.org/
March 11 - 12, 2011
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Oklahoma City, OK
http://www.okcmoa.com/
March 6, 2011
5:00pm
Salem Film Festival
Salem, MA
Director Michael Sládek in person!
Nov 12- 18, 2010
ReRun GatroPub
Brooklyn, NY
http://www.reruntheater.com/