Waiting for Hockney

By nature, I'm not too much of an art enthusiast. As they say, I know what I like--but in no way would I consider myself an expert on the contemporary art scene. That's what makes Julie Checkoway's fascinating documentary "Waiting For Hockney" such a pleasant surprise. The study of a dreamer's determination as he takes on a one of a kind art project is by turns hysterical and tragic. Starting from a biographical standpoint, the film turns into an incisive look at the nature of art, an examination of the artistic process, and a discussion on what validates artistry in today's society. And we see it all through the eyes of Billy Pappas, an illustrator who worked on one drawing for eight and a half years! The single minded devotion is both awe inspiring and borderline insane. But can Billy make his dreams come true--or might they more aptly be called delusions?

Billy sets his sights on doing something that has never before been done. He wants to compose a portrait that is more real and richer in detail than any previous hand drawn work--and his process is to approach it from the microscopic level. For over eight years, he toils continually on a reproduction of a photo of the iconic Marilyn Monroe. Indulged by his loving parents, he all but shuts himself off from the world convinced that his project will catapult him into the art scene stratosphere. But his work, when it's done, is so technically impressive that he needs to unveil it to someone who can understand how revolutionary it is. He convinces himself that he and renowned artist David Hockney are intellectually simpatico, and that Hockney should be the person to validate his life's work. With dogged determination, he pursues Hockney and finally scores a meeting! Will it be a melding of minds? A stepping stone to a new career? Or something less than he imagined?

The documentary does a great job bringing Billy, his eccentric professional team, and his doting mother to life. Billy's mother literally suffers a nervous breakdown during the Hockney meeting (and most delightfully, makes a bundt cake that Billy carries from Maryland to Los Angeles for the famed artist). Everyone is convinced of Billy's genius and the finished product is a marvel of technical prowess. You never know exactly how Billy's story is going to play out--but he approaches every aspect of the process with an "all your eggs in one basket" single-mindedness. There is no Plan B, ever! In this all-or-nothing scenario, the film manages to build suspense in surprising ways. "Waiting for Hockney" is thoughtful and entertaining throughout. Anyone interested in the contemporary art scene needs to check it out. But even as someone only marginally interested in the topic, I loved this story! KGHarris, 2/11.

WAITING FOR HOCKNEY (2008) is a fascinating documentary, not about what constitutes art, but what constitutes whether the art world is going to perceive an artist or a dumb slob who likes to make pictures. That's what the art world does - and it will revolt you to see how they do it.

Billy Pappas, a very self-insulated and autistic young man with a fine talent for draftsmanship, worked just over 8 years on a microscopically realistic (we call it "hyperrealistic") portrait of Marilyn Monroe. Somehow he got the wacky notion that famous artist David Hockney was a kindred spirit and could validate the work - Billy knowing that he'd conquered an unconquered level of portraiture-with-a-pencil, Billy knowing that only Hockney could realize what he'd done and proclaim Billy's genius.

Things don't work out that way. While I found this documentary format tiresome (dopey, whiny college-station music and lingering shots of Billy's eyes), I found his drawing to be a technical marvel. We artists all know technical marvels get you nowhere. That is where Billy got. Even after he landed a meeting with Hockney at Hockney's California home. Poor guy.

While Hockney remained notoriously silent about the whole thing, his 'entourage' praised Billy to the skies. When interviewed, they changed their tune, actually mocking him and his drawing. It's the art world! Did the poor guy really think he was getting somewhere? When Hockney forgot all about him (probably about an hour after Billy left Hockney's residence), Billy turned to Bill Gates, hoping for God knows what.

Billy was rewarded with a terse email saying Bill Gates "doesn't do this sort of thing" and ordering Billy to stop pursuing Gates. So much for the patrons and the philanthropists!

This documentary is heartbreaking but I think all aspiring artists ought to see it, and more importantly, feel it. Watching this brought to mind another two art documentary films I reviewed, Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock? (about a lady who purchases a Pollock, tries to get it authenticated and the art world burns her because of the provenance), and Art of the Steal (which deals with a famous Philadelphia collection that the art world literally stole for itself).

All these films share one simple fact: the art world stinks like nothing else in the known universe, and is populated by precisely the kind of creatures you'd imagine would give off that stink. This is not a statement because of the treatment of Billy, but because it is true and the evidence is right here. Anyone who would defend such a set-up is either delusional or works successfully in the art rat race.

Anyone who has been burned by the art world - as I myself have been - can tell you what is true and what isn't. Billy can tell you, and the other films I cited for you, which I strongly recommend, will tell you the same thing. Oddly, even this documentary in a remote sense becomes about David Hockney, more free publicity for the Great Old Artist.

As far as I know, Billy is still working as a waiter in some dive - and doing his art projects at home. The documentary is rather lax in follow-up, and just flops to an ignoble end. Perhaps they meant to show us the true fate of Billy's dream.

This film should be part of the curriculum for every undergraduate and graduate art program in the nation -- including writing programs. For high schools it's the perfect instrument to ignite discussion and writing. It's such an important film! Anyone who works in the arts or appreciates them--any of them--should see this documentary. It's magnificently made and crucial viewing.Waiting for Hockney