Artist’s biopic a blast of defi ant energy
BY ROSE ADAMS
It’s no secret that today’s art world
has its gatekeepers. Young artists
need networks and clout, not
to mention a jaw-dropping portfolio,
to enter the coveted halls of galleries
and performance venues. And with
the advent of social media, they need
to be killer self-promoters, too.
No one knows this more than
Ethan Minsker, a Manhattan-based
fi lmmaker, artist and writer. Since
moving from Washington, D.C., to
the Lower East Side as a young man,
Minsker has published thousands of
fanzines, produced nine fi lms, and
collaborated with acclaimed Lower
East Side artists like Arturo Vega,
the Ramones’ artistic director, and
painter John John Jesse.
Minsker’s latest work is something
new for him, an autobiographical
fi lm called “Man in Camo.”
“It’s a shot of caffeine in fi lm,”
Minkser said of “Man in Camo.” The
movie has won various awards in small
fi lm festivals across the country and
makes its New York City debut on March
27. “The message is f— you to all those
people who said, ‘You can’t pursue your
dreams.’”
The 81-minute-long work stitches together
home videos, interviews with family members,
and voiced-over claymation to tell the story of
Minsker’s artistic development. Beginning with
his birth in D.C., “Man in Camo” follows Minsker
as he discovers the severity of his dyslexia, joins
Washington’s punk-rock scene, and moves to New
York City, where he fi nds a community of artists.
The fi lm’s rapid pace and violent asides (one
scene depicts three claymation letters in a bloody
shootout) give viewers an intimate peek into Minsker’s
psyche. “Man in Camo” certainly feels like a
shot of caffeine, if not something a little stronger.
But despite the fi lm’s violent undertones, Minsker
delivers an encouraging message: Keep creating
art, no matter what.
“I try to pepper my fi lms with a lot of concepts,
a lot of visual cues, that hopefully make the viewer
think there’s a possibility out there for them to
chase or pursue their dreams without worrying
about the negative connotations,” he said.
“Forget the haters; pursue your dreams” has defi -
nitely been a central theme in all of Minsker’s work,
including his community organizing. In 2000, he
co-founded an artists network called The Antagonist
Movement that mentors, supports and creates
spaces for lesser-known artists. The group claims
to have collaborated with 3,500 artists around the
globe since its founding. But while the Antagonist
Movement may fl y under the radar—even in its
home in LES — it has left its mark in many communities.
“He empowers so many people and supports so
many people,” said Anthony Pedone, a Texas-based
fi lmmaker who started a fi lm festival in Victoria, a
COURTESY ETHAN MINSKER
A scene from “Man in Camo.”
small city in southern Texas. Pedone got
to know Minsker through the Antagonist
Movement in New York City. “Sometimes,”
he said, “you just want to throw
your hands up in small towns. But he gave
us this validation.”
“Man in Camo” conveys the same motivational
message that Minsker preaches to
fellow artists around the globe. In its fi nal
scene, a montage of clips from Minsker’s life
plays as he explains how his struggles have
had an invaluable impact on his art.
“I hope more people go out and make movies
just like this, because I’ll watch it,” Minkser tells
viewers. “Unless you’re boring.”
“Man in Camo” will screen Wed., March 27, at
9:10 p.m., at Anthology Film Archives, at 32 Second
Ave. The screening will be followed by a Q&A
with Minsker. For more information, visit https://
newyork.carpe-diem.events/calendar/9642824-
new-york-city-premier-of-man-in-camo-atnewfi
lmmakers-ny-at-anthology-fi lm-archives/.
Ethan Minsker’s mantras are “keep creating”
and “pursue your dreams.”
30 March 21, 2019 TVG Schneps Media
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