Original Bimbtown 1993

16 minute ‘Impressions from the original Bimbotown Club in the Alte Stückfärberei in Basel’ video from 1993 by Reto Jeltsch (Bimbo Town 1, Stückfärberei, Basel, Switzerland. Galerie Littmann).

Jim Whiting Art for Sale?

I have seen the above artwork for sale or having been sold claiming to be by Jim Whiting on sites like Artnet, Mutual Art and elswhere. I would be fascinated to understand their provenance and not least because one thing I remember about Jim is that he doesn’t really sell his work, other than his big Mechanical Theatre installations for Luna Luna and Swarovski Crystal Worlds both commissioned by André Heller, neither of which seem to be operational any longer sadly. I know he has gifted some of his works including the one I have in the photo below, which needs to be restored so that is operational with the cicuit board I commissioned from Dave Buckley who helped Jim with control systems for his various installations over the years (see below).

Bus Queue Puppets

Another video from Jim’s Vimeo channel. Description is puppets modelled in clay, cast in latex and foam filled, with some minimal movement added using ‘air-muscles’ made of fire hose. And hairstyles and makeup by Andrew Bailey (participating actor/performer). But no mention of date and venue.

Family of five shirts and eating man

Another video on Jim’s Vimeo channel. The description is articulated Shirts and Dancing trousers and Metal figures made from discarded lamps. It also mentions that the Eating figure gifted to the Bernhard Luginbühl Stiftung. And that clip was shot by Hannelore Kelling in Basel, Switzerland. But doesn’t mention show or date.

Video Clips and stills from Luna Luna

I found this photo above from a blog post by William Poundstone asking whether the relaunched Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy was worth it (see here), having helped Jim build the original show, install it and then help operate it in Hamburg back in 1987, it is shame that the new version just displays some of the figures on clothes rails rather than has the working version of the installation.

Herbie Hancock Rockit Video

The featuring of the robot-like sculptures dancing in Herbie Hancock‘s music video for “Rockit” in 1984 directed by duo Godley & Creme helped Jim Whiting gain international recognition and win the first MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction. The collection used in the video together with the “Pervy Men” trouser robots was a version of his Purgatory show first installed at the AA carnival, London, in 1978.