Olympics and the Common Wealth

The blind narcissism of our cultural elite is creating untoward harm. Can we find shared purpose again?

I have been reflecting on Glasgow 2014. That year my adopted home city hosted the Commonwealth Games. Oh and it was braw! The whole city was alight with positivity and purpose. I was commissioned to make a nine series film work that got people dancing across the whole city. This feat was accomplished by me scooting about the boundaries of the city on my bicycle filming dancing clips on my phone. (and editing them in the single day-which at the time was quite a feat given the newness of the tech, yeah snaps to me lol)

Here is one of nine films:

My budget for nine days full of dancing, including sourcing/making costumes, arranging a portable sound system for the different locations ‘pop up discos’, making nine ‘wee films’ in nine different areas of Glasgow (which I accessed on bicycle) and paying an assistant was under £2000. My job: to serve the public. I reckon I danced with hundreds of individuals, not to mention hundreds of more onlookers. I think we can safely say that everyone who participated had a great time (and that I was physically shattered at the end of the marathon endeavour).

I was proud to be part of a program that created lasting positive memories for the city. (Go on ask a Glaswegian about Summer 2014 and watch their face light up)

Fast forward ten years and we are witness to the French Olympic Opening ceremonies.

…with a budget of £150 million. Oh dearie me.

One would expect with such an extraordinary budget in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with the wealth of history and culture to hand we would have gotten more than Papa Smurf on a plate. Quoi?

Historically the Olympics always delivered performance culture to the masses on a GRAND scale. And it was thrilling. It showed us where the possibility of public events with high artistic standards and ideals can meet the most diverse audience imaginable and provide something for us all to celebrate.

Not every artist is up to this task. My ‘DIY’ aesthetic while charming and effective would not scale up to a large scale event like the Olympics.

China delivered such a program in 2008

And Greece in 2004

Some have suggested that Papa Smurf was an attempt at French humour citing Mr. Bean/Rowan Atkinson cameo at the London Olympics 2012

Rowan Atkinson is a comic genius and large part of the collective imagination of the British public. He is also globally recognised. And yet in the true history of the clown, he finds a way to poke fun at himself and through this the endearing qualities of humanness.

Whilst my wee jaunt in 2014 (as the programs above) were able to get hundreds upon hundreds of people smiling and dancing (together!) without a pronoun being stated, a racial profile being asserted or an apology to the planet - not to mention no one knew a thing about me or my ‘lived experience’ - today’s artists frame the entirety of their purpose and works around… themselves. And this narcissism racket is impoverishing our world.

There is a lot to be said (and there has been a lot said) on the parody of ‘The Last Supper’. And I don’t disagree with that assessment. Not because Catholicism is unable to ‘take a joke’ or that they failed to criticise ‘all religions’ but that the Olympics of ALL places is not the place for political grandstanding. And I say that as a practicing Catholic. But this, I fear, is a feature and not a symptom of the arts and artists these days. (as is the very comfortable anti-Catholic/Christian sentiment within the arts sector)

The world needs artists to find ways to *actually* bring people together. To put themselves to the side and see the bigger picture. To find ways to create moments that unite, that shine a light on the universal human experience. As has been pointed out when one looks at Michelangelo’s great works one sees not the artist but the sculpture itself. The myopia of current arts trends is (in the words of fellow substack-er Devon Eriksen) makes art pretty shite.

And I do find it really fascinating (and sad) that in the face of global criticism the Olympic committee and director could not genuinely apologise, because they (it would seem) think that what they were doing is ‘inclusive’. Yet for all the talk of ‘inclusivity’ these artists & arts orgs fail to see any other position than their own.

We can see in my previous post how Leonnie Rae Gasson on being awarded £126k from the tax pot for the making of a hardcore porn film AND funded to make a show with children at the Traverse (which included them fashioning sex toys for the adult audience)- can only double down on own narcissistic narrow viewpoint when there is massive outrage.

These artists (ironically) lack all empathy to how their project/policies (paid for by us tax payers) would go beyond the realm of the acceptance of most people. This is a theme we see across the whole cultural sector. This is part of the arsenal of narcissism which has been cultivated in their privileged lives, no doubt at home and school which immunises them against seeing anything but their own navels.

I am not opposed to Jolly’s work, but it was not an ‘Olympic’ performance. It should have stayed in some dusty burlesque backwater for the audience that would have appreciated it. We Catholics would not have bothered.

However in a familiar tactic -in the face of global criticism - the Olympic committee has chosen to not acknowledge that they have transgressed what they have been trusted to do- giving a half hearted response stating (in so many words) ‘We understand it’s not to everyone’s taste, we did not intend disrespect and are sorry if you felt this way (but clearly you are wrong)’.

In the history of Olympic performances has ANY production offended, antagonised and isolated so many?

The director Thomas Jolly went on to reiterate that his ceremony ‘celebrated kindness and inclusivity which are "French values’. Putting aside the fact that I don’t remember 'inclusion and kindness’ being mentioned in the French constitution -this is -of course-a gaslighting of the highest order. His production was pure queer theory propaganda. He frames his role as there not to serve but to deliver a message… “of inclusion and kindness”. This is what the propagandist do to GET YOU TO SHUT UP. They constantly play into our best nature - because ‘you want to be kind don’t you’? But is it, is it really?

And let us remind ourselves what Queer Theory is all about. It wants to dismantle all boundaries, in particular sexual ones, and this includes children.

Here Derrick Jensen does ‘queer theory jeopardy’ making a very clear link between paedophilia and queer theory.

One of its main proponents Michel Foucault was a paedophile. Pat Califia, Gayle Rubin and Judith Butler were (and are) paedophilia apologists. Jolly’s self proclaimed ‘queer’ performance tellingly had children dancing amongst scantily clad adults. (and to be clear I would criticise equally if little girls were twerking with Lady Gaga)

One has to wonder what Jolly’s closing ceremony will feature and what we can expect from the paralympics of which he has also been commissioned to direct. Given that queer theory is now labelling ‘disability’ as an ‘identity’….

I am absolutely not opposed to experimental work. I am definitely not opposed to making work themed ‘queer’ (for adult audiences)(also note: not my bag but if it’s your thing, fill your boots). Artists should be encouraged to make work and experiment - but should the wider public have to support it? $150 million is no small amount of funds.

But let’s not be confused his work is not about the greater good or about exploring greater truths but about himself. 2007 I made a mash up performance/film work called ‘Threads’. I had been reading about Wagner’s concept of ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ and was inspired to ‘find my own version’ (cause Wagner and I are like SO similar).

In simple terms Gesamtkunstwerk means ‘total art’. Wagner thought opera represented the most sublime complete act of art because it brought together music, art, costume, theatre to create a ‘total meaning’. I was interested in what that *might* mean in a current context. I thought Wagner would certainly have integrated film into that paradigm if it had existed.

Wagner was interested in how these medium could synthesise to bring out universal truths, and hence he revolutionised opera via his Ring Cycle (15 hours all told). You might not have heard of Wagner or know of his Ring Cycle but I have no doubt you will be familiar with many of the compositions. Such as Ride of the Valkyries.

The scale and depth of this work is off the scale. It is worth noting it took Wagner twenty six years to complete the masterpiece. My wee work ‘Threads’ was similarly ‘operatic’ in theme if not form as I took the ancient tale The Descent of Inanna merging film, music, visual art, dance, ritual and text and presented it at The Chateau, the crumbling edifice that hosted many artists with limited means and a desire to experiment and make work. And whilst many works were made in this venue most did not move on to greater platforms…. as would be expected. Artists such as Franz Ferdinand cut their teeth there and did move on, but this was not off the back of continued experimentation but rather the more finely tuned artistry which made them a wide scale success. Fringe performances are important, they feed into the soil of creativity but they are fringe.

And as I have been reflecting on the Olympic failure another program comes to mind.

In 2023 Rihanna was commissioned by the American Super Bowl Committee to do the half time show. Like the Olympics the Annual American Football Championships entertainment break in the middle of the game has garnered global appeal over the years and with it and spectacular budget. Notable performances include Super Bowl 1999 with Gloria Estefan, Stevie Wonder and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy….

Here’s Prince performing at the 2007 Super Bowl during a downpour. You can feel the electric feedback of the audience.

Then you have Rhianna…

My son said ‘why are the marshmallows rolling about on the stage’? She literally looks like she CANNOT be bothered to be there. This is not about the audience, the entertainment, the enjoyment. This is about Rihanna.

And it is telling that my ‘artsy’ contacts LOVED the Rhianna display posting links to articles like ‘Why Rihanna’s Halftime Performance Was Actually Yoga’. My artsy friends who could give two figs for American football. You could literally feel their distaste for the power base of American football, the ‘normal’ people who just wanted to see a good game. Strategically the half time show comes when fans energies are waning. The entertainment (done well) will rally and re-energise the audience towards the finishing line. Rhianna’s show reminded me of a high end 'arts show’. It’s like she forgot (or didn’t care) who she was performing for.

And while we’re at it let’s consider Philadelphia, my hometown and the home of the Eagles who were playing that year (go Birds!). For the past 100+ years Philadelphia has been host to The Mummers Parade, which brings thousands of people to the streets across the whole city in costumes they have made, in choreographed routines they have practiced, in a spectacular display of goodwill. These also, largely, are football fans.

Mummers Parade Philadelphia January 2024 is a fantastic every person event without needing to *say* it. It possesses a remarkable generosity which is contagious.

Unsurprisingly fans were less than happy with Rhianna’s ‘non performance’ labelling it boring. This is not because they are close minded, or ‘lack inclusivity’ or ‘display an inherent misogyny’ but because she didn’t do her job. Serve the audience. Watching it with my son I couldn’t help think - as with the Jolly piece - this is not the platform for this work. Whilst each artistically relevant in their own right they are misplaced. And with that, these artists are no more than common thieves.

Artists have the remarkable opportunity and capacity to create works that inspire and connect us to ideals that are higher than ourselves, not through the fracturing of people into dozens of little ‘identities’ which will never represent the entirety of any human, not through a platform of us and them, or an attitude of preaching to the ‘unclean’ but a spirit of generosity.

It is no wonder that world religions note ‘generosity’ as a virtue. It suggests a magnanimous attitude, not a judgemental one, it arrives with a spirit of goodwill for all people. History tells us that humanity has always struggled ‘to get along’ as various junctions of time and place. This is not a new story. But these events can remind us that in spite of our differences there are shared human experiences that transcend culture and identity. And this is important.

I was glad to see Usher perform at this year’s Superbowl. He was having the best time ever. And that is contagious, you could feel the audience’s spirit literally lift as he danced across the stage. And the world was better for it. Here’s hoping more artists can wake to their unique potential and opportunity of public service. This is our common wealth.