Jamian Juliano-Villani’s Field Work | Art21 "New York Close Up"

Alright.

["New York Close Up"]

I think this is a...

smell that smells like popcorn...

There's a fucking popcorn factory right here.

[Jamian Juliano-Villani, Artist]

Popcorn.

Tires.

More tires.

It seems so rare and lucky

that an artist can actually

think about the things
that they want all day--

and, like, research
as much as you want.

That's their job.

And, I think going out
and doing stuff in the real world

also counts as work.

It's crazy,

you can live in New York

and just, like, screw around
and express yourself--

and get paid, maybe?

That's a privilege.

["Jamian Juliano-Villani's Field Work"]

So stupid.

I've been going to Strand
ever since I moved to New York.

Whenever I'm restless with my work,
I just go to Strand--

and I'm like,
"I'll find something here!"

It's like an event.

I'll usually be there for, like,
four hours.

This is good for color, but...

Because I like him.

"Master of Make-Believe"!

Have that one.

Signed copy, too.

I really like trying to get things from books,

as opposed to just the Internet.

You'll find one specific thing
that you won't find anywhere else.

It feels like it's more mine
if I get it from a book.

On the Internet,
everything is everywhere, so...

That is fucked up.

What is this!?

I mean, I base so many paintings off of
books from Strand.

I'm really into throwaway ephemera, you know?

Or things that people passed over.

It's like a flipbook, the way I look at them.

And I can tell immediately
if it's going to be useful or not.

Ugly.

No.

So, like, you can get a million books
on, like, caricature art.

So, which one do you pick?

It can't just be like the most obvious reference.

There's something off with it.

Or something unique about it.

It's hard to explain,

but I feel like when I look through something,

like, a light will go off
and be like, "That's good!"

Can I get in?

Aw, come on!

Yeah?

No?

Yes?

[CARS HONKING]

What the fuck is this!?

[DRIVER] You want to open right in...

Being in the crossing walk!?

[JULIANO-VILLANI] Sorry, I didn't know!

[DRIVER] Come on!

[JULIANO-VILLANI] Alright! Alright!

Living in New York
and growing up in Jersey,

the least cool thing you could possibly do

is go to Times Square.

But there's something
that I really love about it.

Not only is it uniquely American,
but it's also...

It's like, you know, you take everything
from your fridge,

and you put it in a bowl

and try to make, like, some gross-ass meal.

You think you could, like,
force someone to eat it?

That's what it feels like, and I like that.

Ripley's Believe It or Not--

it's something I wanted to do for a while
in terms of research.

It's like these fake sets and gimmicks.

And it is tasteless

and it is tacky.

But it's a way to get your brain moving.

Oh man!

Those aren't real!?

Oh my God, they are!

Oh, hell no!

Look at this.

It's like some quick mental vacation.

You find yourself getting really into things

that you would never dip your toe into.

Oh my God, I can't!

That's so gross.

It's like a Paul Thek or something.

There is no real level of good or bad there.

You know, who the hell can tell?

So, when I make my paintings,

it's kind of like I can't tell either.

The line is so thin,

like I get confused all the time.

And finding, like, the I'm-not-sure area

is the thing that I find interesting.

Portrait of Abe Lincoln on that house fly...

[LAUGHS]

Which is insane.

Going into Ripley's,

you know what the value of
all that stuff is?

Forty dollars--

the entry fee!--

and that's it.

But, you put one of those objects in a vitrine

and you put it next to something
like Paul Thek--

and there are no labels or anything--

what is the difference?

They're both ephemera.

They're both made from a point in time.

They're both cultural.

Like, the pretense of art feels weird
and wrong.

And that's the thing--

I think anyone that is an artist

is constantly feeling the guilt of that.

So that's why I kind of like

these other weird elements of life--

and especially life in New York.

It's like lowest-common denominator--

You know, bottom common denominator?--

And...

I think it's inspiring!

No one cares.

No one's looking.

You can act however you want.

You can be whoever you want.

Seems pretty cool.