The death of Manson

You know, a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody’s crazy.

Charles Manson

“Something Witchy” (2012) Oil on canvas, 11″ x 14″

So Charlie-the self proclaimed “God of Fuck”-has finally left this mortal coil. I’ve already said everything I thought I had to say in that regard, but I guess I ought to share my thoughts since so many comments were curious what those where now he has passed.

Whether one wants to believe that Manson was a mind-controlled, puppet messiah, programmed to terminate the hippie dream, or a patsy prophet, he certainly shouldn’t be lionized or vindicated, regardless of how ultimately complicit he was in snuffing the lives of Stephen Parent, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, Sharon Tate, Paul Polanski, Leno LaBianca and Rosemary LaBianca.

One thing is certain, Manson was an able and charismatic grifter with the gift of the gibber gab. A pontificate who stoked a climate of paranoia, hatred and apocalyptic level fear to a group of gullible and disenfranchised cult disciples, who would go on to do something truly diabolical in his name.

For myself, it is a welcome reminder to be mindful of parallels, of false prophets who profiteer, because it seems no less apropos, that Manson dies in the era that he does.

You can see the entire series I produced for the 2012 solo exhibit at Hyaena Gallery from the following:

Man/son and the haunting of the American Madonna 

Or watch my interview expounding my research on the Manson case, in John Borowski’s Serial Killer Culture streaming on Amazon Prime.

Or read the art book I compiled from my research:

RISE

San Diego State University Screening Serial Killer Culture

My Man/son showcase is already three years young-hard to believe really.
That it continues to be my most popular and well known series, says something about the public's continuing fascination with the subject, and the none too paltry power of Netflix instant play.
Which is why I shall be honored to be attending a screening and subsequent panel for Serial Killer Culture, at San Diego State University on the 10th of April, alongside director John Borowski, Artist and publisher Hart Fisher, Criminologist Dr. Thomas Gitchoff, Head of SDSU Special Collections Robert Ray, and Federal Bureau of Prisons Retiree Joel Goodman.

Screening starts at 6:00pm at SDSU's Little Theater 161- $3 Students $5 Public.

There will also be an additional night to see the screening on the 11th of April, please note that I shall be unable to attend due to a former commitment

RSVP: http://tinyurl.com/SerialKillerCultureScreening 

Six Page Interview in Serial Killer Quarterly

As delightfully diabolical as a sack of infant gizzards delivered by Krampus himself, is the Christmas edition of Serial Killer Quarterly, published by Grinning Man Press. Enough to curdle chilled eggnog by the fire, it features the most wretched deviants to stain the virgin white snow of humanity, oh and me also. 
You can order a copy from the following link:  

SERIAL KILLER QUARTERLY CHRISTMAS EDITION

NEW DAVID VAN GOUGH INTERVIEW ON CVLT NATION

"It was the whole shabby search for why I am, and it brought me back to the Van Gogh thing, that martyred bastard's shadow" 

I've been super fortunate to be interviewed by Joseph Collins over at CVLT NATION this week, and you can read the full article by clicking the link below. Cheers fellas.

CVLT Nation interview

SERIAL KILLER CULTURE NOW STREAMING ON NETFLIX

Hard to believe that just two short years ago, I was in a similar storm working on the Man/son showcase. Of course-the scale, proportions and the month of fevered frenzy it took, are worlds apart from the years work I have just undertaken. Still, evoking as it did; the dark Cabalistic, turbulence surrounding a ritualistic killing during the summer of 69, and threading the seeping black tendrils of madness and paranoia spanning centuries, is not the best of pursuits when you are painting for fourteen hours a day,  inhaling turpentine in 106 degrees and listening to Revolution 9 on repeat.

Still, I came out the other side, none the richer or wiser, and now since it's part of the segment of a documentary called Serial Killer Culture, you can stream my fifteen minute moment, to see and hear more for yourself.

SERIAL KILLER CULTURE ON NETFLIX

SERIAL KILLER CULTURE DOCUMENTARY-NOW AVAILABLE

 It's officially out, my-just over by five-fifteen minutes of fame debut on the small screen, tying up nicely the whole artistic / atavistic Man/son foray circa 2012. 

Putting aside my little radar blip, what John Borowski's splendid documentary does is through an assemblage of contributors, present an articulate viewpoint of societies fascination with it's monsters, and their dilution into the cultural psyche. 
I make an appearance just over an hour in for anyone interested, just before the mighty Joe Coleman-grand company indeed. 

Check it out


WATCH SERIAL KILLER CULTURE NOW!

DVD: http://serialkillerculture.com/
STREAM: http://serialkillerculture.filmbinder.com/
AMAZON: http://tinyurl.com/lg3adhc

Stream Serial Killer Culture

 Just a missive to tell you that Serial Killer Culture is now available to stream for just $19.98, watch it now and receive a Free copy autographed by the film maker John Borowski when it drops on April 1st. I've not had chance to view it myself yet, as I'm doing some killing of my own, but having seen some snippets, it'll make for great viewing on this wet and windy weekend.

Stream and order from the following: serialkillerculture.filmbinder.com

Edit: You can also stream it from Amazon HERE

Man/son Bizarre Bazaar

Finally bagged myself a copy courtesy of my daughter-Bad Vibes and Something Witchy sharing column space in an article about Serial Killers. Splendid.

Newcomers whose interest was piqued enough to make it thus far-Most Welcome!! For the uninitiated, the Cliff notes are as follows...

My insidious study of sinister architecture surrounding the Manson case culminated in a month of frenzied activity for the Man/son and the haunting of the American Madonna show, which ran during October 2012 at Hyaena Gallery in LA. 

It was an undertaking borne in the mouth of madness,and by the end I was frazzled from dancing with dark forces and could hear Charlies grizzled voice in my sleep.

 The full gallery's for the show can be found on my website: 

http://davidgoughart.com/Manson_gallery.html 

Those paintings, plus my crazed meanderings are noted for posterity in a book entitled Rise-which was released February last year and can be purchased from the following:

http://davidgoughart.com/Art_Books/Rise-Manson.php

The pieces are to be featured in a forthcoming documentary entitled Serial Killer Culture, which premiered in Chicago recently, and shall be streaming on Netflix soon-trailer below, details to follow:



I also did a podcast to discuss the series last year which you can listen to here:

Upon a midnight dreary podcast

I think that's about the size of it, but you are welcome to stick around,there's bigger and better things to come.

Final trailer for Serial Killer Culture

Dropped today, the latest trailer for John Borowski's Serial Killer Culture-the documentary I was interviewed for about my Man/son showcase. Featuring as it does, Joe Coleman, the Crawlspace Brothers, Hart Fisher, Matthew Aarronn, Macabre and a host of others,  I appear briefly at around the 1.15 mark.

No word on a release date, but I have it on good authority that it should be available at select screenings soon, as well as on general release through Netflix streaming in the new year.

Van Gough at Molotov Gallery

 Contributing to a little group exhibit later this week-recycling several works from the Man/son thing last year to a showcase at Molotov gallery-here in San Diego. It'll be my first appearance (proper) in my adopted hometown for some time, though as is customary, expect bugger all in the way of fanfare from the usual S.D periodicals. 

Still, since it's my only scheduled show until the unveiling of the new series a year from now, it gives those local folk that were sorry not to make it up to the Hyaena last October, a fighting chance to see the leftovers.

Permanent fixture at Hyaena Gallery (for now.)

I was reminded by a link on my news feed today, that along with some fine Art prints-you can still see some of the original pieces from Octobers Man/son show at Hyeana, including the pivotal painting-'Healter Skelter' (below)
Check out the link or contact myself or Hyaena if you are interested in purchasing any of the available work.

http://hyaenagallery.com/davidvangough.html

Stirring a Hot Brew-David Herrle interviews David Gough on Subtle Tea

I've been very fortunate  this year to be interviewed by some brilliant minds, and there is none less acutely idiosyncratic than mister David Herrle, who runs a site called Subtle Tea, but rather aptly-is also the author of an extraordinary forthcoming book, which I have been lucky enough to spy entitled Sharon Tate, and the daughters of Joy.  More details on that when its released.

For the time being, David kept me on my toes in what I would describe as my most comprehensive interview to date, in which I noodle about the Man/son series, mortality and  daubing. You can read the full transcript below.


SUBTLE TEA INTERVIEW

Podcast Interview on Upon a Midnight Dreary

I'm very honored to have been a guest and interviewed on a podcast show, by LA's homicidal hostesses-Dahlia Jane.
Dahlia of course, is one of my biggest supporters and has done a sterling job in the past of promoting my work on her awesome blog.
There's plenty of food for thought, as I talk about Art, the Man/son showcase, horror movies and future projects over on Upon a Midnight Dreary.  Grab yourself a brew and a plate of cookies and listen in. Thank you Dahlia.


Upon a midnight Dreary podcast link

Cielo Drive Blog

Working on the Man/son series last year, opened a literal can of worms, as far as the research involved. Part of my own personal remit, was to trace what I saw as connections back to my hometown of Liverpool, and so I began a blog as a counterpoint to the series called One Hundred & Fifty Cielo Drive. 
The latest post is the first in a series of posts on the Mersey Freemasons, and you can read it by clicking the following banner link