Mark Miremont
Born
Madrid, Spain
NationalityAmerican
EducationUCLA Department of Philosophy (BA), Harvard University, UCLA Graduate School of Theater, Film and Television (MFA), Sundance Institute (writer/director fellow)
Known forphotography, experimental film, music video, aesthetic theory

Mark Miremont is an American artist who works in photography, experimental film, music video and aphoristic writing.

Early life and education

Mark Miremont was born in Madrid, Spain and studied philosophy at UCLA & Harvard. His first experimental film "Antinomies" led to him being invited into Graduate School at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.[1][2]

Music Videos & Sundance Fellow

Miremont directed numerous music videos to put himself through film school.[3][4][5][6][7] The first video he directed was also Soundgarden's first video, "Flower".[8][9] The video was put into regular rotation on MTV and is notable for being the first music video to establish the grunge aesthetic.[1][10] His experimental films and music videos caught the attention of the Sundance Institute.[2] He was invited to become a fellow and develop the script for his first experimental feature film, White Ocean.[11][12] He directed actors Lothaire Bluteau, J. E. Freeman and Glenn Close at the Institute's June Filmmaker's Lab.[12][13]

Photography and experimental films

Photography

Miremont shoots stylized portraits and often erotic figure studies of notable people in alternative culture like: Dita Von Teese, Mamie Van Doren, KMFDM, Soundgarden, Switchblade Symphony. The Chop Tops, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Julie Strain, Puma Swede, Jessica Jaymes, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Chris Whitley, The Koffin Kats, Lazlo Bane, Gren, Masuimi Max, and many others.[1][10] His photography has been exhibited around the world and featured in the alternative culture and art press: Argentinian Art Magazine, Revolutionart calls his work, "brash", "sensual" and "largely responsible for the resurgence of the pinup".[1] YNOT Europe describes his work as "wildly original and perfectly composed".[10] AVN Magazine calls his work, "distinctive";[14] and he has been dubbed, "The Pope of Pinup", by Italian Art Magazine STIRATO.[15][16]

Carnival of Desires

In 2004, Miremont released a collection of eight short films under the title "Carnival of Desires". Each film explores a different theme related to desire and according to AVN, was "shot at an opulent mansion... using a variety techniques".[14] In his review, AVN Editor, Tim Connelly, called it a "glittering and unbelievably hypnotic dreamscape" with "Felliniesque moments of Technicolor fantasy".[17]

The Resurrection of Beauty: Solo Photography Exhibit & Film Premiere

From 2010–2011, Miremont had a solo exhibit of his photography at La Galerie Provacatrice in Amsterdam, entitled "The Resurrection of Beauty".[10][18] The exhibit coincided with the premiere of an early cut of his feature length experimental film of the same name. The film stars several notable models, including Dita Von Teese.[19][20] The screening took place at the world's largest annual alternative fashion event, Wasteland, for an audience of over 6000 people.[18][21]

Philosophy

The Resurrection of Beauty: Manifesto

In conjunction with the solo photography exhibit and film premiere, the gallery published Miremont's "The Resurrection of Beauty: a manifesto for 21st century art".[18][22][23] Edward Grande of The University of York wrote that Miremont's manifesto is "concerned with refuting the beliefs of artistic rivals"; in this case, Dadism and Conceptual Art. Grande adds that, "though offering engaging discourse on current issues", the manifesto is "ostentatious".[24] The University of North Carolina's Aesthetic Manifesto Analysis lists two central lines from the manifesto as: "Beauty is the purpose of art, just as a building is the purpose of architecture" and "The utility of art is to inform us of beauty, just as the utility of science is to inform us of truth."[25] An aphorism from the manifesto, "It is far more revolutionary to be sincere, romantic and idealistic", was used and credited in a 2011 marketing campaign by the French cognac brand, Courvoisier.[26][27]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Alighieri, Beatrice (March 2009). "The Resurrection of Beauty: the art and philosophy of Mark Miremont". REVOLUTIONART MAGAZINE. No. 17. p. 239., 34MB pdf download, accessed online, May 27, 2015
  2. 1 2 Glucksman, Mary (1996). "Mark Miremont's The White Ocean". FILMMAKER MAGAZINE. No. winter. p. 32.
  3. ↑ Morris, Chris: BILLBOARD MAGAZINE: "Whitley Returns To Familiar Turf" (January 19, 1997, pg. 14) Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  4. ↑ Atwood, Brett: BILLBOARD MAGAZINE: "Recent Music Video Production" (August 16, 1997, pg. 74) Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  5. ↑ MTV.COM: Miremont directed video for Lazlo Bane in MTV's top ten for 1997
  6. ↑ MTV.COM: Miremont directs Toad the Wet Sprocket's 1st video
  7. ↑ Ressner, Jeffrey: ROLLINGSTONE MAGAZINE: "Toad the Wet Sprocket's New Music Video" (Oct. 5, 1989, pg. 18) Archived December 1, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  8. ↑ "SOUNDGARDEN OFFICIAL BIO (click: BIO Soundgarden 1989)". Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  9. ↑ Smith, Emily: "The Pearl Jam Handbook", page 554 Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  10. 1 2 3 4 YNOT EUROPE, "Amsterdam Art Gallery to Host Provocative Photography Exhibit", October 7, 2010, Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  11. ↑ VARIETY – "Sundance Announces 8 new Directing Fellows", April 5th, 1991, page 47 Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  12. 1 2 "THE SUNDANCE INSTITUTE ARCHIVE – june lab projects" Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  13. ↑ "THE SUNDANCE INSTITUTE ARCHIVE – Mark Miremont's White Ocean" Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  14. 1 2 Gillespie, Jack: AVN MAGAZINE, "Mark Miremont’s Carnival of Desires to be Released", page 57, September 10, 2004, Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  15. ↑ Barcaroli, Sebastiano: STIRATO ART MAGAZINE "Mark Miremont: The Pope of Pin-up." (issue #4, winter 2007) In Italian, Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  16. ↑ STIRATO MAGAZINE interview in Italian, pdf download accessed online, May 27, 2015
  17. ↑ Connelly, Tim: AVN MAGAZINE, "REVIEW: Mark Miremont's Carnival of Desires", page 122, November 1, 2004, Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  18. 1 2 3 "LA GALERIE PROVACATRICE, AMSTERDAM – "Mark Miremont solo photo exhibit, film premiere & manifesto release"".
  19. ↑ "DJG – Wasteland The Wildest Party on Earth", Film Premiere Announced October 15, 2010" In Dutch, accessed online, May 27, 2015
  20. ↑ "AI NEWS – Resurrection of Beauty", Exhibit & Film Premiere Announced October 6, 2010" Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  21. ↑ "THE RESURRECTION OF BEAUTY film premiere in Amsterdam" Archived July 12, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  22. ↑ Miremont, Mark: "The Resurrection of Beauty: a manifesto for 21st century art" Archived September 4, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  23. ↑ Charleyboy, Lisa: ART MANIFESTOS- The Resurrection of Beauty- a for 21st century art Archived November 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  24. ↑ Grande, Edward: THE UNIVERSITY OF YORK, "Noise: The Manifesto Market", February 8, 2011, Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  25. ↑ "UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA – Aesthetic Manifesto Analysis". Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  26. ↑ Topol, Kateryna: URBAN NATIVE MAGAZINE, "Are you revolutionary?", June 26, 2011, pg 14 Archived July 1, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Accessed online, May 27, 2015
  27. ↑ Courvoisier Collective Campaign, May 17, 2011, Accessed online, May 27, 2015
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