Jack Smith: Normal Love
Filmmaker and artist Jack Smith embraced the Golden Age of Hollywood and underground culture in equal measure, and became a notorious icon for later generations. ‘Normal Love,’ Smith’s 1963 feature-length film, is loosely based on horror movies, particularly from the 1930s and 40s, as well as the work of Dominican-born B-movie star Maria Montez. Made following Smith’s infamous feature, ‘Flaming Creatures’ (1962-63), which caught the unfavorable attention of American censors, ‘Normal Love’ includes a cast of fantastical characters ranging from a mermaid, played by Mario Montez–whose stage name was conceived in homage to the famous actress–and a mummy, enacted by Angus MacLise, the original drummer for the New York band the Velvet Underground. Shot in color and using elaborate sets, including a giant cake designed by Claes Oldenburg, Normal Love is a riotous combination of Edenic coupling, Dionysian debauchery, and horror kitsch. The presentation of the film is accompanied by a selection of Smith’s photographs and works on paper that demonstrate the artist’s inventive use of collage and drawing and further showcase his exuberant visual sensibility.
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