Artist Lecture -- Paul Pfeiffer

"Four Horseman of the Apocalypse (6)"2001
Digital duraflex print, 60 x 48 inches
Edition of 6, AP of 1 

"The Long Count (Rumble in the Jungle)"2001
Digital video loop, LCD monitor, DVD player, and metal armature, 6 x 7 x 60 inches
Edition of 6, AP of 1 

"Poltergeist"2000
Laser-fused polyamide powder, and wood, glass, and linen vitrine
Object: 4 x 4 x 8 inches
Vitrine: 22 x 22 x 24 inches
Edition of 3, AP of 2

"Quod Nomen Mihi Est?"1998
Wall-recessed diorama, 10 x 16 x 18 inches

"LIVE FROM NEVERLAND"

 2006

Stills from two-channel video installation

"Live Evil (Bucharest)"

2004

Two digital video loops, two metal armatures, two projectors, still video installation

Edition of 6, AP of 2

Paul Pfeiffer is a Hawaiian born artist who spent most of his childhood in the Philippines.  His work is mostly composed of video installations, which I suppose is the sculptural aspect of most of his pieces, since very few of them could actually be considered as sculpture (at least from the work that was shown).  The works shown had an eeriness about them that left me uncomfortable, even in the iconic Risky Business (which, for the record I have not seen but it's so recognizable!) loop I knew I was seeing Tom Cruise having a tantrum on the couch but it looked more like he was writhing or being electrocuted and so where the image came from didn't really factor into how I perceived the video, or maybe it did I'm not really sure. I experienced the same thing with Live Evil where I recognized the disfigured visage of Michael Jackson performing despite not really being familiar with that particular (or any) performances of Jackson's.  Still, though, I was very discomforted and put at dis-ease by the warping effect that was created by the merging torso.  This relates directly to his sentiment that it doesn't matter where the images really come from, but it creates another layer to the piece if you do.  

While looking for images to put in this post, I found what I realized was the piece that he chose not to show due to length and that piece was LIVE FROM NEVERLAND which, after reading about it, I was really disappointed he decided not to show. According to descriptions, one channel was a Filipino children's choir singing Jackson's 1993 broadcast regarding the child molestation allegations that had come against him while in the other channel, said broadcast was played sans sound.  The part that seemed remarkable to me was that the cadence of the choir is said to have been matched perfectly to Jackson's silent delivery of the same words.