BEC STUPAK RADICAL EARTH MAGIC FLOWER January 12 – February 25, 2005 Deitch Projects 76 Grand Street Written by Nichelle Stephens Photographed by Tito Trelles

Deitch Projects, the Soho art gallery/collective which is known both for showcasing diverse young talent and also for hosting wild opening parties, is presenting the work of performance and visual artist Bec Stupak.

Bec Stupak

Bec Stupak's work is called “Radical Earth Magic Flower”, and the opening party was held January 12, 2006 at Deitch Projects' Grand Street space. The exhibition will be on display from January 12 through February 25, 2005. The centerpiece of the exhibition is Bec's blind remake of Jack Smith's legendary film, Flaming Creatures.   Jack Smith's Flaming Creatures is the most important and influential underground movie ever released in America. The film and Bec's remake includes very sexual scenes with drag queens, mermaids, vampires and other creatures. Bec Stupak updated it by adding colorful body painting and employing her friends, The Radical Fairies, to be in the video.

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Bec Stupak and Her Mother

New York Cool attended the opening party which was very crowded, especially for an art opening on a Thursday night. Undaunted by the colorful crowd, we talked to Bec Stupac and found that in addition to being an artist, she has been a mermaid in the annual Coney Island Mermaid parade. Many of the people were performance artists or people who loved to dress.  The atmosphere was very relaxed and laid back for an art opening. In fact there was a big bed in the room where the centerpiece work of the exhibition was displayed and about a half a dozen people were sitting on the bed and chatting. I walked over and asked if this was the VIP section (I am actually a VIP) and was welcomed by the group of bed-sitting people, all admirers of Bec's work.

Performance Artist	Partygoer

Raised in Princeton, New Jersey, Bec Stupak is a young artist, living and working in New York City. She is also the founder of Honeygun Labs, an experimental video project.  According to her mother, Bec showed signs of artistic enthusiasm at a young age by painting the attic of her family home a bright scarlet red. You can check out more about Honeygun Labs by checking out their website: http://www.honeygunlabs.com/