The disruption is an opening Keith Gladysz

I made a quick visit to the new home of Smack Mellon in Dumbo today. A group video art show called Multiplex 2 is currently showing. Takeshi Murata's Monster Movie (2005) drew me in because it reminded me of recent thoughts on abstraction.

Disrupted technology, or the unsuccessful digital transmission is captivating. You’ve seen moments of slow pixel-freezing on digital cable. And corrupted image files from the internet. These are some of the most beautiful images of ‘failure’.

I find it very optimistic viewing a situation this way, because there’s room to drop success and failure. The firm grip placed on determining the outcome of an experience lightens, and the mixed signal can be enjoyed for what it is. The disruption is an opening.

Technology is the speed of progress and I find it compelling to watch it crash. Enjoy the mistakes as they slip into unexpected ambiguity, birth and brilliance.

While Murata’s Monster Movie doesn’t literally capture and organize these malfunctioned moments, it does recreate this effect by distorting each individual frame of video. The result is non-stop psychedelia that feels like four minutes of malfunctioning tv. This can be a little much, but it’s Murata’s rhythmic sense of editing and the soundtrack provided by Plate Tectonics that keeps this piece just on the plus side of chaos.

Multiplex 2 is showing through November 27th.