A GLIMPSE INTO THE WANDERING MIND OF JAMES FRANCO
Story by D’Loraine Miranda
Missed out on James Franco’s The Dangerous Book Four Boys the first time around? You’re in luck, as the actor’s art exhibit is now available in hard copy.
The Oscar-nominated actor showcased The Dangerous Book Four Boys, a multi-media art exhibit, in 2010. Originally displayed at New York City’s Clocktower Gallery and curated by the Gallery’s director, Alanna Heiss, the exhibit explored themes of boyhood and perceived masculinity in the memories of Franco himself, both real and imagined; it featured video works, large-scale sculpture and more.
Now the exhibit has been re-purposed as a coffee table book, infused with gritty images of the pieces shown at the exhibit, and the compilation proves to be both visually engaging and thought-provoking.
Included is an interview between Heiss and Franco, in which he explains the inspiration behind the concept of The Dangerous Book Four Boys and how he approached the execution of such an ambitious project. In addition, art critics and curators such as Klaus Biesenbach, Diana Widmaier Picasso, and Frank Bidart, provide supporting text throughout.
The most distinctive feature of the book is the doodles and drawings on the pages done by Franco himself, reminiscent of a schoolboy, which act as a personal commentary on the larger work.
Published by Rizzoli, James Franco: The Dangerous Book Four Boys is available Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 at book retailers across Canada.
