Tyson by Steve Carr

Being

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Making

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Tyson

Tyson

Artist

Steve Carr
Production Date

2002
Medium

single channel video, standard definition (SD), 4:3, colour, silent
Size

1min 59sec
Credit

Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2003
Accession Number

C2003/1/47
Accession Date

26 Jul 2004
Department

New Zealand Art
Classification

Audiovisual
Collection

Chartwell
Description

Steve Carr's short films show him enjoying himself. They are about how he gives and takes his pleasure. He hands out ice creams as Mr Whippy. He plays cowboys and indians with little kids and lets them win; they tie him to the clothesline and squirt him with water pistols. He has a pyjama-party pillow fight with cute young girls, and demolishes an old van with skater-boys. In scuba gear, he checks out bikini babes treading water. Tyson, a motionless movie, has him on all fours in a Mexican standoff with a dog over a drool-drenched tennis ball. Tyson left his ball on the ground to tempt Carr, assuming the artist would value it as highly as he does. Carr plays along. Neither will move first, remaining frozen, locked in an endgame scenario. Carr mocks man's best friend and empathises with him, sharing in Tyson's pleasure. (Snake Oil, 2005)