This opening-night celebration of Illusion Brought Me Here begins with a performance of the monologue I Am Not a Flopper, written by Mario García Torres and Aaron Schuster, performed by David Dastmalchian. Afterwards, the artist discusses his multifaceted practice in a lively conversation with exhibition curator Vincenzo de Bellis.
I Am Not a Flopper takes as its subject the name “Allen Smithee”—a pseudonym used by film directors in Hollywood who wish to disown a project, particularly when they were dissatisfied with the movie’s final version. In this monologue, a fictional Smithee elaborates on the complex relationships between his public persona and his long filmography.
