Really great footage here! Plus, this is a great, solid addition to Cosey's already fascinating book!
This treads a bit too lightly on Gen, but he definitely gets what he deserves as well as plenty of time to defend himself. Still, a sequel going deeper into his wacky control tactics, abuse and just horrible personality traits is needed.
Also, these people should definitely do a more TG focused doc next; as Chris and Peter aren't terribly present here. Heck, bring on a 4 hour Coil doc while I'm dreaming...
As an American, a lot of info about COUM was lacking back in the late-70s and early 80s, so everything about this doc and Cosey's book are an amazing feast for fans. Seek it out!
Plot summary
Hull, England, 1970. In a run-down commune in a tough port city, a group of social misfits - mostly working class, mostly self-educated - adopted new identities and began making simple street theater under the name COUM Transmissions. Their playful performances gradually gave way to work that dealt openly with sex, pornography, and violence. COUM lived on the edges of society, surviving on meager resources, finding fellowship with others marginalized by the mainstream. At the core of the group were two artists, Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti. As their work evolved, Cosey embarked on a career modeling for pornographic magazines, which she claimed for herself as a conceptual artwork, using it to forge a specific position in relationship to 1970s feminism. In performances, Genesis pushed himself to extremes, testing the limits of the human body.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
September 28, 2024 at 12:47 AM
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fantastic!
Moving & Energizing
This documentary is a wonderful introduction to the work of some of the greatest artists of all time -- and it is important, insofar as there is a major lack of availability of information on this work available today. The producers have done a magnificent job in gathering obscure footage and photography and narratives, and made excellent decisions on the score.
In my ideal world, the producers of this doc would deliver another 10 hours of content and go even deeper into the various subjects -- I could watch a whole documentary just on the story of "Live at Oundle School", or the London Fields years, or the technical side of TG's music, or Prostitution, etc.
So - awesome work that made me contemplate what is possible for me and for the world, and left me wanting more!
YOU DO NOT NEED A PERMISSION
Marcus Werner Hed and Dan Fox have produced a documentary that chronicles the journey of one of the most radical, innovative, and significant artistic collectives of the past five decades, often regarded as forerunners of the woke movement.
In Hull, England, during 1970, a group of social outcasts-predominantly from working-class backgrounds and largely self-taught-formed a commune in a struggling port city. They adopted new personas and began creating straightforward street performances under the name COUM Transmissions. Their initially playful acts evolved into provocative works that openly addressed themes of sex, pornography, and violence. Living on the fringes of society, COUM relied on scant resources and found camaraderie with others who were marginalized by mainstream culture. Central to this group were two artists, Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti. As their artistic expression matured, Cosey ventured into modeling for adult magazines, which she reframed as a form of conceptual art, using it to carve out a distinct stance within the context of 1970s feminism. Meanwhile, Genesis pushed the boundaries of performance, exploring the limits of the human body.
It is widely acknowledged that COUM Transmissions burst forth from Hull into a nation unprepared for their audacity. By merging confrontational performance art with the intense industrial music they essentially pioneered, Genesis P-Orridge, Cosey Fanni Tutti, and their associates shocked the British public in the 1970s-most notably during their groundbreaking 1976 ICA exhibition, Prostitution, which remains a contentious milestone in post-war British art.
Now, 45 years later, COUM Transmissions and Throbbing Gristle continue to resonate powerfully. Through a combination of original interviews and rare archival footage, Hed and Fox have finally shared their unique narrative. While I may not fully align with their philosophy, I appreciate their assertion that "None of us should accept what we were told..." and the idea that "YMarcus Werner Hed and Dan Fox have produced a documentary that chronicles the journey of one of the most radical, innovative, and significant artistic collectives of the past five decades, often regarded as forerunners of the woke movement.
In Hull, England, during 1970, a group of social outcasts-predominantly from working-class backgrounds and largely self-taught-formed a commune in a struggling port city. They adopted new personas and began creating straightforward street performances under the name COUM Transmissions. Their initially playful acts evolved into provocative works that openly addressed themes of sex, pornography, and violence. Living on the fringes of society, COUM relied on scant resources and found camaraderie with others who were marginalized by mainstream culture. Central to this group were two artists, Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti. As their artistic expression matured, Cosey ventured into modeling for adult magazines, which she reframed as a form of conceptual art, using it to carve out a distinct stance within the context of 1970s feminism. Meanwhile, Genesis pushed the boundaries of performance, exploring the limits of the human body.
It is widely acknowledged that COUM Transmissions burst forth from Hull into a nation unprepared for their audacity. By merging confrontational performance art with the intense industrial music they essentially pioneered, Genesis P-Orridge, Cosey Fanni Tutti, and their associates shocked the British public in the 1970s-most notably during their groundbreaking 1976 ICA exhibition, Prostitution, which remains a contentious milestone in post-war British art.
Now, 45 years later, COUM Transmissions and Throbbing Gristle continue to resonate powerfully. Through a combination of original interviews and rare archival footage, Hed and Fox have finally shared their unique narrative. While I may not fully align with their philosophy, I appreciate their assertion that "None of us should accept what we were told..." and the idea that "YOU DO NOT NEED A PERMISSION." Their rebellious creative spirit is commendable, though it is unfortunate that they only briefly mentioned the negative spirits that also became involved.
It was a difficult and contentious subject that was addressed effectively!.