I put up a fleeting post about Rene, the “I AM THE BEST ARTIST” muralist (among other things), some time ago after finding a short interview with him wherein he expounded on his hyperbolically self-aggrandizing declarations that were formerly visible on several facades around SoHo like the one above on West Broadway at Grand Street as captured by photographer Leo London. You can see that here.
Beyond those works, though, it should be noted that Rene also acquired a bit of infamy for some of his more provocative artwork, specifically a series of sculptures that featured detailed depictions of female genitalia in the center of a crucifix. Vintage cable-access porn afficianodos may remember a clip on late-night Channel J’s programming of “Midnight Blue” wherein a cigar-chomping Al Goldstein -– dressed up as Jesus, of course -– gets thrown out of St. Patrick’s Cathedral with one Rene’s aforementioned sculptures on his back. I promise you I’m not making that up.
For whatever reason, I somehow assumed that Rene had shuffled off this mortal coil. I’m happy to report, however, that I was mistaken in my assumption, and that “THE BEST ARTIST” is alive, well and still with us. If you’ve got a half-hour to spare, please avail yourselves to this video wherein the man himself showcases his work around SoHo back in the day, and expounds on the meanings behind the messages.
Recent Comments