With I ComeFromShame, a 49 mins single-channel projection, Matthieu Charneau brings a new understanding and appreciation to the work and life of Chris Tanner, an East Village artist whose career dates back to the early eighties. Tanner, best known for his jewel-encrusted assemblages and freestanding driftwood sculptures, is documented in the video as he moves between art and everyday life. It is essential viewing—an intimate portrait of an artist who pours glitter into everything he creates: his paintings, assemblages, sculptures, plays, and drag performances.

Charneau demonstrates a keen understanding of the visual potential of his medium, instinctively crafting an imaginative interplay between his subject and the camera. He is a confident film editor, seizing the moment of projection as an opportunity to re-edit his work in real time during performance. Most notably, he is a director who places implicit trust in the shooting situation—so much so that he allows the shot to extend beyond its “normal” length, enabling the emergence of the sublime. Audiences experience the material in much the same way Charneau himself does; he invites us to wade with him into the swamp of uncertainty, where we are surprised by Tanner’s humor and insight.

Through Tanner’s voice, Charneau explores a confrontation of opposites that raises questions about societal structures and gender politics. Charneau is a visionary artist with the strength and determination to bring his vision to life.

In I ComeFromShame, Charneau’s memories emerge as visual archives of Tanner’s past, intersecting with the full-color spectrum of his present. Tanner’s home, studio, and the streets of New York City become the vibrant backdrop to Charneau’s silhouette. Through the lens of his camera, Charneau immortalizes the artist, transforming him into a monument.

- Jimi Dams -