Matthew Barney - Cremaster Cycle

Cremaster Cycle - videos available on Youtube

What do you think was the artist's intent? 

This work uses Surreal imagery to describe the formation and descent of the gonadal structure in the human male. By using a Surrealist style the artist can show parallels with the concept that occur in our larger society. For instance, the division, formation and re-formation of biological structures into more complex forms is used by Barney to show developing societies from their early pre-industrial formation to vast, complex, Capitalist ones.

What does the image make you feel? Does it create any questions or conflicts in your mind?

The images make me think about the complex nature of our bodies, lives and society. I think about the random chances that have affected changes in these structures and make them the way they are. For instance a pregnant mother can have an accident that will directly affect the formation of the foetus; a random occurrence in someones life pathway can steer them on a different course; technological changes, war, and religious doctrine have structured societies in a certain way. I have realised that there is no one 'right' way of living our lives (in Western society) they just turned out that way.

Why do you think the artist has chosen to work in this way?

By using video film and the Surrealist genre the artist has access to a rich visual language to explore and express ideas. The high production value of the five films show considerable attention to detail. The use of sets, clothes, props, and lighting make for very convincing fantasy worlds.

Is this art?

If the artist says their work is art then as far as I'm concerned then it is. Whether it is good, bad or mediocre art is another matter.


Write a short 250 word review of each work and its relevance to your practice (if any) in your learning log.

250 word review:

The reviews of the Cremaster Cycle, a five-part Surrealist extravaganza, talk about the cremaster muscle and its ability to raise and lower the male testes. Some of the reviews focus on male ejaculation and sex; others look at the gonadal structure and how it is formed from undifferentiated structures during growth; lastly, some reviewers write about wider concerns of life, birth and death, and how these are metaphors for the development and structuring of our societies.

The Cremaster Cycle is so vast in its scope that it is most probably all of these elements rolled up into one big filmic, Surrealist fantasy. Before reading the reviews I watched all of the films and certainly picked up biological aspects. All of Barney's films show structures that have an individual cocooned inside. They are shown underneath tables in twin airships; inside co-joined cars at petrol stations; and scaling the lift shaft of the Chrysler building. The individual always seeks to find a way out. They concoct ways of breaking free and there is an element of change that affects them during the struggle. All of the individuals have attendants that are waiting or observing the struggle/change. I'm reminded of biological systems that monitor growth and release hormones at appropriate times during development.

When I discovered through research the function of the cremaster muscle, the struggles and changes to Cremaster's characters became clearer and helped me understand the fundamental aspect of the work that Barney was seeking to portray. Playing out around these scenes of struggle are vast panoramic sequences - dancing girls, metal bands, masonic ritual, Celtic giant myth, motorbike sidecar racing, that to me all indicate the formation of Paternalistic societies into structures and systems for living. I see these scenes as metaphor for the organisation of the undifferentiated gonadal structure into fully formed and descended testes.

I've used metaphor and allusion quite strongly in my own practice and can certainly see some parallels with Barney's work. I quite like to leave open-ended meaning in my images. I work on a much smaller scale  - on sequences of stills that are constructed; it is possible they could be viewed as Surreal. I have no plans to move toward film. The rich visual tapestry of Barney's work is inspiring and certainly a goal that I would like to move towards achieving at some point.