BEAUTIFUL LOSERS

BY ELISABETH STEVENS

   In this engaging and loosely organized documentary, directors Aaron Rose and Joshua Leonard attempt to recreate, explain and lovingly document what a lot of young, offbeat New York area artists were doing in the 1990’s.

            The premise is that these innovatively, and sometimes outlandishly clothed kids really had something to offer.  They painted on railroad cars and letter boxes.  They scaled sheer brick walls to emblazon enormous initials and iconic nicknames. They decorated their skateboards and their surfboards in myriad colors.

            At first these artists–the story is told by various participants who remember–gravitate towards a small, storefront space where several also sleep.  They begin to exhibit a few works.  People begin to come to see–even buy–those works.

            Presto!  The artists are beginning to be taken seriously.  Some start to have shows in other galleries, bigger galleries–even museums.  “Peace,” as the witches say in “Macbeth,”  “the charm’s wound up.”

            So the young, offbeat artists are no longer quite as young as they once were.  Shit happens.  One male artist admits that he still loves the girl who dumped him back then.  One female artist–one of the most talented and named Margaret–actually gets cancer and DIES.

            Meanwhile, the linear, bright-colored, easy-to-read style that caught the eye on boxcars and back alleys is beginning to be familiar, to be absorbed. Big name artists like Keith Haring (who died in 1990) had been doing something similar all over the world.

 As a matter of fact, the kids’, do-it-yourself art works pretty well in advertising, in a Pepsi ad.  One of the artists interviewed is actually wearing a Madison Avenue sort of suit and tie!

Yes, it’s wonderful to be young–AND to be successful and important. The only trouble with this film is the title.  These artists may be beautiful, but they AREN’T losers–not for long.