SHELFLIFE #16B: AWESOME ELLIS
I love Ed. It’s been a lot of fun watching the subtle twists and shifts his work has taken over the years as it’s matured. I think he has a show up now on the west coast. I got an email with a picture of a striking sculpture of the profile of a man’s face–cut to contour–out of wood, I think. He has a bent metal rod implanted in his skull that acts as the support for a stream of serpentine text spewing from his mouth. I’m not sure I ever saw that coming–that hyper-designed, sculptural evolution of the paintings, drawings and photographs. But, it makes sense.
A lot of Ed’s work is influenced by his access to and his ability connect with just about anyone he stumbles across while skating. Awesome Ellis is one of those trip-hazards turned epic pratfall. It’s just a 7-page xeroxed bunch of text with a couple of polaroids thrown in–a conversation with this guy–Mark Ellis. Mark–a then 48-year old neighborhood guy who worked at the 7-11, did some substitute teaching, picked up a security guard gig, was a Christian and adored skateboarding and skaters–discussed all sorts of shit with Ed. Never shy about dipping into the waters of the chickenhawk, the interview–of course–goes there. Ed questions Mark on his virginity and relationship with women. He asks him about his relationship with children and to specific pro skaters.
“We were completely unsure what the whole situation was. We were young kids, and this grown man was offering us rides places. In general you would say that seems pretty scary, you know? There’s a lot of crazy dudes out there who want to abduct young kids and so… But we just…I think we felt that you were real nice and wouldn’t do anything to us. And we just took the rides. I remember one time we spent the night at your house…”
But, Ellis responds to that naturally and explains that he really just loved good street skating and knew the kids’ parents…that there wasn’t anything else to it. Appropriately enough, by the time you finish reading the whole thing–you realize that’s probably true. For the dozens of reasons the interview seems to present the possibility of a sketchy guy–Ellis just doesn’t come across as creepy–and Ed knows this all along. He doesn’t just know it. He’s pointing and laughing–not at Ellis, but at all of those kids who grew up in bubbles–sheltered from the weird neighbor who hung out with kids, by parents who were afraid of everything–pointing, laughing and telling them, “you assholes could have met some cool people if only you weren’t so fucking lame.” I agree and applaud both Ed’s mockery of his collectors and peers as well as his deification of Mark Ellis.
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Tags: alleged press, ED TEMPLETON, zine