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this brings me back
Link-jumping and the powers of visually associative memory are things I take for granted in my day to day life, most certainly. What would a day be without them any more? But having link-hopped (from to the blog of awesomely talented Athertonlin) to Wild Combination director Matt Wolf I discovered on the second page a hauntingly familiar image - actor and editor Jim Lyons.
Background…I feel so lucky to have had expanded satellite in my house as a young queer youth (bear with me, I know TV is evil!). MAINLY for the fact that in the month of June, the first month of summer vacation, was pride month on Sundance and they would show a several queer films every day. Not seminal stuff (disclosure: I hated Beautiful Thing as a teen, dunno if I still would now though), WEIRD STUFF. I saw a lot of badass movies on the Sundance Channel…and I seriously hope it exists because it is a grate indie film gateway experience. Some of the weirdest/disturbingest/most titillating starred Jim Lyons. I speak in particular of Poison and Postcards from America.
I love that he was actually queer and not just an actor…you can here about his life and death and rememberances of people who worked with him here many of whom are mad respected in the queer/indie cinema worlds (yes, they do come together!).
What intrigues most about Post Cards from America (besides the narrative fragmentation and detached beauty) is that it’s based on the biographical writings of David Wojnarowicz, who is probably the most influential queer creator next to Tom Spanbauer in my life. But I didn’t learn anything about DW until a few years after I moved to Austin and the Radical New York show came to AMOA. I was on fire with all the amazing art and my non-stop-love-affair with New York in the 70s. But something about Wojnarowicz’s work struck a powerful cord in me. Beyond photography, beyond his use of Rimbaud’s face; something about it made me feel what great art makes you feel. That adrenal tingle. The interconnectivity of the universe.
I really look forward to discovering some thing Wojnarowicz’s writing one of these days. But for now, I’m going to see if somewhere somehow I still have Post Cards from America, taped on VHS from Sundance during my high school years.
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