THE CHELSEA TAPES
(TRT 01:12:14)
The Chelsea Tapes is a series of 26 video vignettes forming an autobiographical diary of artist Paul Lamarre's extended stay at Manhattan's infamous and famous The Chelsea Hotel (Hotel Chelsea) from 1982 to 1984.
Inspired by the many luminary who took up short and long-term stays at the Chelsea he sought to capture in video what influences the legendary hotel could have on his art practice. The Chelsea drew the ‘culture-corp’ like a magnet—actors, artists, writers, composers, poets, film directors and rock stars such as: Bob Dylan, Sam Shepard, Virgil Thomson, William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Stanley Kubrick, Thomas Wolfe, Patti Smith, Robert Mapplethorpe, Dylan Thomas, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Joni Mitchell, Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, Quentin Crisp, Mark Twain and Andy Warhol with his “Chelsea Girls” Viva. Lamarre would occasionally share the elevator with Virgil and Viva.
The Chelsea Tapes was awarded Best Non-Narrative Video at the San Francisco International Film Festival in 1986, and can be found in numerous collections, including Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) in London, and Staedlijk Museum Amsterdam. The Chelsea Tapes was also awarded New York City ‘The Kitchen’ Media Bureau Grant in 1984 and 1985.
Lamarre's stay at the Chelsea Hotel (initially planned for three months evolving to be nearly 2 years) was enabled by an art fellowship in 1982 from Creative Arts Program Services (CAPS) for his multi-media/video/performances: “Baking Bread” and “From The Adult to the Child.”
After months of writing and preparation Lamarre began shooting The Chelsea Tapes in 1983 and soon found a collaborator in Melissa Wolf. They met at an art opening of the New Museum which at the time was located in literally a closet at The New School. "The New Meu" as it was referred to, was still burgeoning under the driving force of the Museum's founder Marcia Tucker. After imbibing too many cocktails during the after-party at the artworld haunt "Danceteria" the two found themselves back at the Chelsea. The rest is history. Wolf became chief cameraperson and editor.
The Chelsea Tapes Screenings / Awards
2009 “The Chelsea Tapes” screened at CINEPOLIS, Hamburg Germany, September.
1993-1995 Video broadcast “Night Lights” on Manhattan Cable. EIDIA was invited to take over "Night Lights" from Ira Schneider (Raindance Foundation member) when Ira moved to Berlin. The half-hour weekly program also included individual “performance’s” from “FOOD SEX ART the Starving Artists’ Cookbook, (the archive is now in the collection of the Getty Museum and the Getty Research Institute). The 160 plus artists cooking were presented once weekly on Friday nights for three years.
1987 “The Chelsea Tapes” screened at the Brighton Film & Video Festival, Brighton, England, October 22-November 15.
1986 Video screening "The Chelsea Tapes,” Anthology Film Archives, New York. "The Chelsea Tapes" and "The Wedding Tape,” at Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, New York. Department of Cultural Affairs. San Francisco International Film Festival and broadcasted on Manhattan Cable Television via Ira Schneider's "Night Lights,” New York City.
1985 Video broadcast “The Chelsea Tapes” via "Night Lights" Manhattan Cable Television. “The Chelsea Tapes” screened at Timothy Greathouse Gallery, New York City; 8 B.C., New York City. “The Chelsea Tapes” Lamarre and Wolf, Artist in Residence: Experimental Television Center, Owego, New York.
1984 “The Chelsea Tapes” screened at: Pan Arts "Arts and Ego" exhibition New York; Cable Television via Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, New York; R.A.W., Real Art Ways, Hartford, Connecticut and White Columns, Manhattan, curated by Tom Solomon; and Avenue B Gallery, New York City.
(TRT 01:12:14)
The Chelsea Tapes is a series of 26 video vignettes forming an autobiographical diary of artist Paul Lamarre's extended stay at Manhattan's infamous and famous The Chelsea Hotel (Hotel Chelsea) from 1982 to 1984.
Inspired by the many luminary who took up short and long-term stays at the Chelsea he sought to capture in video what influences the legendary hotel could have on his art practice. The Chelsea drew the ‘culture-corp’ like a magnet—actors, artists, writers, composers, poets, film directors and rock stars such as: Bob Dylan, Sam Shepard, Virgil Thomson, William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Stanley Kubrick, Thomas Wolfe, Patti Smith, Robert Mapplethorpe, Dylan Thomas, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Joni Mitchell, Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, Quentin Crisp, Mark Twain and Andy Warhol with his “Chelsea Girls” Viva. Lamarre would occasionally share the elevator with Virgil and Viva.
The Chelsea Tapes was awarded Best Non-Narrative Video at the San Francisco International Film Festival in 1986, and can be found in numerous collections, including Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) in London, and Staedlijk Museum Amsterdam. The Chelsea Tapes was also awarded New York City ‘The Kitchen’ Media Bureau Grant in 1984 and 1985.
Lamarre's stay at the Chelsea Hotel (initially planned for three months evolving to be nearly 2 years) was enabled by an art fellowship in 1982 from Creative Arts Program Services (CAPS) for his multi-media/video/performances: “Baking Bread” and “From The Adult to the Child.”
After months of writing and preparation Lamarre began shooting The Chelsea Tapes in 1983 and soon found a collaborator in Melissa Wolf. They met at an art opening of the New Museum which at the time was located in literally a closet at The New School. "The New Meu" as it was referred to, was still burgeoning under the driving force of the Museum's founder Marcia Tucker. After imbibing too many cocktails during the after-party at the artworld haunt "Danceteria" the two found themselves back at the Chelsea. The rest is history. Wolf became chief cameraperson and editor.
The Chelsea Tapes Screenings / Awards
2009 “The Chelsea Tapes” screened at CINEPOLIS, Hamburg Germany, September.
1993-1995 Video broadcast “Night Lights” on Manhattan Cable. EIDIA was invited to take over "Night Lights" from Ira Schneider (Raindance Foundation member) when Ira moved to Berlin. The half-hour weekly program also included individual “performance’s” from “FOOD SEX ART the Starving Artists’ Cookbook, (the archive is now in the collection of the Getty Museum and the Getty Research Institute). The 160 plus artists cooking were presented once weekly on Friday nights for three years.
1987 “The Chelsea Tapes” screened at the Brighton Film & Video Festival, Brighton, England, October 22-November 15.
1986 Video screening "The Chelsea Tapes,” Anthology Film Archives, New York. "The Chelsea Tapes" and "The Wedding Tape,” at Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, New York. Department of Cultural Affairs. San Francisco International Film Festival and broadcasted on Manhattan Cable Television via Ira Schneider's "Night Lights,” New York City.
1985 Video broadcast “The Chelsea Tapes” via "Night Lights" Manhattan Cable Television. “The Chelsea Tapes” screened at Timothy Greathouse Gallery, New York City; 8 B.C., New York City. “The Chelsea Tapes” Lamarre and Wolf, Artist in Residence: Experimental Television Center, Owego, New York.
1984 “The Chelsea Tapes” screened at: Pan Arts "Arts and Ego" exhibition New York; Cable Television via Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, New York; R.A.W., Real Art Ways, Hartford, Connecticut and White Columns, Manhattan, curated by Tom Solomon; and Avenue B Gallery, New York City.