IntroSpective Uzi Parnes and Ela Troyano are our guests

CARMELITA TROPICANA: YOUR KUNST IS YOUR WAFFEN (1994) was recently screened as part of the Camp/Anti-Camp festival curated by Susanne Sachsse and Marc Siegel. It won the Teddy Award when it came out and has since been part of our collection. In 2009, we developed a close relationship with Ela Troyano and Uzi Parnes in conjunction with our project: "LIVE FILM! JACK SMITH! Five Flaming Days in a Rented World". They presented their Expanded Cinema Performances, which were later further developed as part of Forum Expanded. Both have been a formative part of the New York art and performance scene for decades and are also connected by a long history to the queer underground icon Jack Smith. Ela Troyano, who was born in Cuba, appeared in Smith's performances and films, whereas filmmaker, photographer and actor Uzi Parnes photographed for him and wrote for his theater productions. Parnes founded the perform-ance club Chandelier which he managed with Ela Troyano. From 2003 to 2005, he also ran the Uzi N.Y. Gallery in the East Village.

We are not looking back at their life but into it and their working world. We are very pleased to be able to welcome Uzi Parnes and Ela Troyano to our "IntroSpective" at Arsenal.