Many Renaissance artists sought to perfect the human form, viewing our bodies as vessels of divine creation and inspiration. The New York City artist Jack Cox does quite the opposite, amplifying the imperfections – zits, asymmetries, nonplussed resting expressions – he sees in the ‘weird, fleshy creatures’ he encounters each day. If you think this practice seems a bit rude, it’s worth noting that the most prominently featured sculpture in the short documentary Heads is the one he crafted of his own dome, inspired by the anxieties of wondering how people perceive his presence in the world. With stylish direction and some surreal animations of the titular heads, the US director Ben Berman’s portrait captures Cox as he reflects on the inspiration he draws from New York – including the unease the city provokes. The resulting piece makes for an unusually lively artist portrait that grapples with bigger questions of what it means to occupy a body – and indeed a world – we never really asked for in the first place.
After years of struggle, an artist faces a new obstacle – staggering success
Directed by Titus Kaphar and Alex Mallis
