Cutie and the Boxer, 2013 - ★★★½

Cutie and the Boxer, 2013 - ★★★½

REVIEWED



“Life is wonderful, it should be positive. When its blown to pieces, that's when it becomes art. Art is messy and dirty when it pours out of you.” - Ushio Shinohara aka Gyu-chan



Fascinating glimpse into the turbulent life and career of avante-garde artist Ushio Shinohara, featuring intimate glimpses into his unique approach to art, and his personal life with his wife and loyal assistant of 40 years Noriko Shinohara.


Zachary Heinzerling's documentary was so damn easy to lose myself in, the 80 minutes breezed by so quick. Ushio's such an interestingly odd figure, even though hes now in his 80s hes a vibrant old geezer, still full of beans. His often suffering wife Noriko, whose 20+ years younger, is an absolute rock. Not only that she's put up with his slightly chequered history of drunken, womanizing and bullying antics. But also that shes managed to shine throughout and become an interesting person and artist herself. This is how I wanna see elderly couples not like Haneke's torturous Amour.


[Personal Reasons For Remembering]

I liked it all, but personally enjoyed the archive footage most. Like the segment hes drunk and in tears defending his contemporary art style. And especially the 60s footage shot around New York streets and exhibits including a scene hes sat with Andy Warhol.






Originally taken from Letterboxd

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