AA Bronson

So yesterday I had the privilege of spending part of my day with AA Bronson - often referred as the only living member of Queer art collective General Idea. AA was brought to town as part of Exposure - Edmonton's Queer Arts and Cultural Festival (www.exposurefestival.ca). I raise this for a few reasons - part of which is because his art and life are so inextricably intertwined that there is no beginning or end between the two and, perhaps, in fact they are one. Perhaps it is analogous to General Idea in terms of collective authorship and art and life.

I was uncertain how I would be able to relate with AA in terms of one on one, he is such an international figure within contemporary art and someone that I have always wanted to meet. He balances between art start status and a very genuine person - warn, kind, generous and so very thoughtful and unassuming that I was immediately struck by his deep sensitively and openness. As the day unfolded and I got to move from just talking with him (and hopefully not being too much school-boy like) to watching him interact with others to a truly great conversation back to the airport; I was struck by the amount that he was able and willing to give to others - and also the amount that others were willing to take. While I have been in similar situations I am unsure if I would be as giving. I guess that this is part of celebrity and what service a celebrity gives. He is, however, protective of things and certainly of himself to a degree and of Felix and Jorge.

As we ate a small lunch at Zenari's ( he had mushroom quiche - with mostly mushrooms and I had spinach risotto) we talked about him more - and secretly I wondered if he got tired of talking about himself - so I began to ask him more about the AA of present . I asked him about how he chose the name AA Bronson and he told me that he did not choose it and it was fortuitous because it enabled him to create an identity that was brave and out there were as Michael Tims was the shy young man still trying to find himself. For me the exciting discussions were when AA talked about his current work and his work with younger, Queer artists. It is exciting for a number of reasons: it situates AA on his own as an artist, the work is exciting and there is risk. It is this aspect of risk within my own work that I find most exciting and sometimes only I know the risk - emotional, physical, and/or psychic. The work is also vital because I feel that it creates opportunities for mentorship and learning - for both the artists and AA.

Much of the work that AA seems attracted to is about mourning, or about, as he might say honouring the community - and that communities are made up of the living and the dead. To me it seems to be also about a loving and thoughtful respect to both of those elements of the community and to honouring the spirit of General Idea and an empathetic desire to live as the complex constructed character of AA Bronson and of Michael Tims, hand in hand.