Vanguard Filmmaker, radical photographer, seminal performance artist, Queer saint: Jack Smith (Flaming Creatures) was one of New York’s most influential underground artists from the late 50’s until his death from AIDS in 1989. Smith explored and developed a deceptively absurd camp aesthetic, importing allusions to B-Grade Hollywood films and elements of social and political satire into the arena of high art. Normal Love (1963) was shot in rich color at locations including the swamps of Northern New Jersey, and includes a cast of 30’s horror film types–a mermaid, a lecher, a mummy–and various “cuties” performed by Mario Montez, Tiny Tim, Diane DiPrima, John Vaccaro and others. Jerry Tartaglia, who supervised the restoration, will also show an unreleased Jack Smith performance-film and sell copies of Smith’s writings, Wait For Me at the Bottom the Pool.

EARLY EVENING EXPERIMENTAL
Sundays, 5:30 pm SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE
ADMISSION FREE

Quck Billy (1967-70, Bruce Baillie), Kodachrome print with unedited camera rolls.