Jason Rhoades: Black Pussy Cocktail Coffee Table Book

by Alex Israel, Jason Rhoades, Kevin West (Foreword)

Once described by critic Jerry Saltz as "orgies of narrative--Nevada's celebrated Chicken Ranch brothel crossed with Wal-Mart and Kurt Schwitters' Merzbau," the libidinously sprawling installations of Jason Rhoades (1965-2006) met cultural overproduction head-on, with a savage fervor comparable only to that of Rhoades' onetime teacher at UCLA, Paul McCarthy. His work encompassed excess and "To juggle the impossible was always an issue throughout my work--to take three objects, like a rubber ball, a chain saw and a live African elephant, and try to juggle," he declared. Rhoades' last project, Black Pussy Soiree Cabaret Macrame , was a series of private social events involving massive sculptural installations in which people walked through a large Los Angeles warehouse filled with Ikea-style shelves containing thousands of "dream catchers," hookahs, camel saddles, chrome trolleys and cowboy hats. Neon signs spelled out various words for female genitalia, and guests were invited to contribute to Rhoades' ongoing cross-cultural compendium of these euphemisms. Evolving to fit each location, this installation, which publicly debuted at Hauser & Wirth in London in 2005, traveled to New York's David Zwirner gallery in November of 2007. Its catalogue was conceived by and designed with the artist prior to his untimely death, and includes a foreword by Kevin West, West Coast Editor of W magazine, and photographs by Joshua White and Alexia Pilat.

306 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

Reviews

[Yousseif Abdellatif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straight up, I wanted more from the ending of Jason Rhoades: Black Pussy Cocktail Coffee Table Book because the setup was so good. Alex Israel builds a gripping story around a woman who finds a stranger's diary in a thrift store coat, and the scene where she realizes the last entry is dated tomorrow had me flipping pages like a maniac. Then the final chapter ties everything up with a bow so tidy it felt like a different book. Still a fun ride. For readers who love a hook and don't mind a soft landing. Skip it if a weak finish bugs you for days.

[Yousseif Abdellatif · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet: Jason Rhoades is a solid, practical read for anyone drowning in clutter. What worked: simple rules and a refreshing lack of guilt-tripping. What didn't: it assumes you've got a big house and spare time to sort through boxes. Recommend for first-time declutterers, skip for anybody who lives in a studio apartment with one closet.