James Carrey known for his slapstick performances with beloved films such as Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Bruce Almighty, Dumb and Dumber and many others.
Before his fame as a comedian he struggled to obtain work and make a name for himself. A natural born comedian he got his lucky break when he was noticed by comedian Rodney Dangerfield, who signed the young comic to open his tour performances.
Fast forward to 1994 when he gained popularity and was cast in the lead roles in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber. He was at the height of his career and received his first Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor for his work in The Mask.
Seriously? Is this a new role?
Today, Jim Carrey is taking on the artist role as he moves to make his mark in visual arts. However, can we take his work serious? Or perhaps it’s not meant to be serious?
Does his work actually push the boundaries beyond comical into relevant? Relevant beyond the hype of a political agenda and superficiality? Oh, those political agendas… the easy fall back.
Does his work have a plot? Are we laughing yet?
Has he developed an artistic voice beyond social media and beyond playing into popular culture for buzz, likes and Twitter followers? Without his fame and name, could his work as an artist stand on it’s own? Granted, Carrey started art as a therapeutic escape from a painful relationship. Art certainly is a great escape. However on this timeline from art therapy to a new voice of modern art, something was lost. How many Hollywood stars can actually make the leap to relevant artist without the crutch of their name, politics and playing into popular culture?
Artwork Beyond Bullshit
A true work of art spans popularity, time and trends. Most artists avoided the spotlight. Their work transcended all the bullshit.
Jim Carrey the comedian is awesome. However as the artist, are we convinced that he will make the cut, that he will go on to the next act. Is he playing his art cards based on political popularity and not independence? True artistic talent is the relevant… that changes lives, perceptions, and makes a statement that spans time, popular culture and space.
Can the performer become a relevant artist? Or is the art a performance?
