Ten days with Charles Filch and The Toothless artist.
Yes, we open with a magnificent portrait of Christopher Walken, chosen by Charles Filch and Toothless Artist as their favorite actor. And mine too. It is also the cover of the new squire (Spain) – la revista para hombres interesantes.
Charles Filch has, once more, puzzled everyone. In days that seem so far away now, there was heavy debate in this blog about the adequacy of The Inadequate; and the project and its author were accused of using public funding (but of course – to accept private money for this mission is anathema), or perhaps misusing it in creating something clearly outrageous and difficult to identify as art (ah, art, so many crimes committed in your name!).
Well, Charles Filch reads my mind. To add shame to ignominy (Charles and I, we had this beautiful discussion about the relation between embarrassment and avantgarde) he begins his performance Best Regards From Charles Filch asking for money, asking for cash to the visitors of the Spanish Pavilion! When some candid souls, mainly women, have opened their wallets and dropped coins and notes in the plastic cup, he (hold and behold!), he has the chuzpa to ask one of those same ladies to go and buy him a beer at the bar with the same money she just granted him, as a sign of compassion to the sad (and clearly false) story of his life.
This is avantgarde. And this is the letter I received today from him (I did not bother to correct his monstrous orthography):
Dear Dora
I have been on stage for a couple of days now.
Today (Thursday) was no other day, the Biënnale Giardini seemed deserted.
When I begin my stories, many people listen – By the way: thank you very much for this space, it makes it easier to talk to a public than on the streets.
Some people leave when I cry and beg. A couple shook there heads today saying “No, No” while leaving and an American lady asked how much money from the taxes of the Spanish people were paid to me. I replied I didn’t know as I am a fictional character that doesn’t pay taxes, let alone I would receive money from a government. I am The Beggar. And not very legal. But it is only a story, a technique. Is it a lie when I say I am lying?
Anyway, I have some difficulty with the notion of The Inadequate. Sometimes it feels I am very Adequate. Somebody told me after the show she was amazed I had such good social skills. That’s not inadequate. And when people tell me it was fantastic, I feel adequate. It troubles me to find myself in the same position as Jack Smith, being not happy with the comment of Jonas Mekas and Susan Sontag loving his film.
The thing is, I am not here for entertainment purposes. We all love to believe a beautiful story, no matter it is a lie. (They sell millions of copies of Magazines with stars who have five children, a great sex life, perfect career, and adventurous hobby’s. Who really believes that?) But this is not the point. I am trying to make contact, to let the backstage and frontstage (remember Erving Goffman) between me and the public come together, and believe it or not… I was not successful! – what’s left is some embarrassment. So I must be inadequate, but nobody sees this. I am an inadequate fictional character.
Best Regards,
Charles Filch
P.S.: to answer a question somebody asked today – YES. FICTIONAL CHARACTERS CAN GO BACKSTAGE. Of course! I also have a backstage life next to my frontstage appearances.
Well, this post is far too long. Toothless artist will come in the next one.
I was at his performance today. A girl asked why he was wearing Carhartt pants… that didn’t seem very much the way beggars dress. He replyed by asking if she loved Carhartt and if she wanted to buy it while he was already unzipping his trouser fly. The man is shameless.