What if we were to take a portion of Time Square’s advertisement screens and apply them toward something that’s not consumer-driven but culture-driven, an effort that supports a broader and more intelligent experience of New York City?

Creative Time-a non-profit public arts group started in New York in 1974-with the help of MTV, have done just that. The music mega-network lent the public arts group their 44 ½ outdoor gilded HD screen to show the work of various video artists throughout the year. Starting with a series titled Musical Paintings (Shallow 1-21) by music and fashion impresario-turned-filmmaker Malcolm McLaren (through August), McLaren’s 21 films consist of cut-ups of visual and aural elements-including pop culture music, like one film that features Ian Curtis singing “Love Will Tear Us Apart” a cappella, and pieces of writer William Burroughs reading pieces from his iconic book Naked Lunch – set alongside clips of the preamble moments before sex scenes in 1960s porn films. (Racy, huh.)

Following Shallow, Creative Time then show selections from Mark Tribe’s Port Huron Project and a body of work by artists Matt Calderwood, Mika Rottenberg and Guido Van Der Werve, followed by artists TBA. Following artists featured in the series and schedules for viewing can be found at www.creativetime.org/programs. By Marina Cashdan

Creative Time & McLaren Films

Creative Time & McLaren Films