Hennessy Youngman and Maurizio Cattelan on participating artist’s pop-up red carpet. All photos on site for Art Observed by Aubrey Roemer and Douglas Cloninger.
YouTube art-theory phenom Jayson Musson A.K.A. Hennessy Youngman‘s show Itsa Small Small World opened Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at the new Chelsea gallery of Maurizio Cattelan and Massimiliano Gioni, Family Business. Originally approached to offer a lecture (Youngman has been touring the country following his sudden rise to fame due to 2011’s “Art Thoughtz” web series), the fitted hat and medallion-wearing, gun-toting Penn MFA graduate instead decided to offer the space to his affectionately addressed “Internet” following. In an intensely saturated salon style hanging—with works crammed atop more works—over 300 artists submitted to the 150 sq ft window-front space, as well as various performances outside.
Musson’s father and Cattelan were in attendance, and art critic Jerry Saltz rolled through, happily posing for several photos. Baltimore veteran and Musson’s long-time friend Spank Rock quipped during his booty bass rap set, “I thought I was playing in an art gallery; this is more like a block party!” The crowd rendered 21st street nearly impassable as the beer quickly ran out, and the night was capped with fireworks (set off inside the gallery). Youngman himself was particularly forthright,”I make videos ya’ll. I don’t even know what I’m doing.”
Jayson Musson A.K.A. Hennessy Youngman and art-handler Tommy Coleman
Hennessy Youngman and Father Musson
—D. Cloninger
Related Links:
Gallery Site [Family Business]
Artist Site [Hennessy Youngman]
Hennessy Youngman Channel [Youtube]
TheRealHennessy [Twitter]
