Art

“Art” | Independent Movie Review

REVIEW:

Much like in her similar documentary, Kenny, director Stacey Stone brings us a glimpse into the life and mind of another homeless man living around Santa Barbara, California in ART. Using the beach and some local landmarks as a backdrop, Stone asks Art about his life, his beliefs, and what he does from day to day, keeping the questions as open-ended as possible. Unlike Kenny, ART doesn’t include animation or other facets, but it does have a similar dreamlike quality to it. Art is a bit less lucid than Kenny, obviously suffering from some sort of untreated mental disorder and occasionally unable to separate memory from fantasy. His stories are contradictory at times, often in rapid succession, for example, when he tells us his parents are “somewhere around” and that he has many siblings before saying he was raised in an orphanage. Through his personal statements, we get a look at Art’s simple existence living among the beaches and streets of Santa Barbara.

“It’s a learning lesson every day,” Art says at one point, and that seems to be his driving force for living rough. “It’s not so bad,” he continues, “only when it rains.” With the aid of her camera, Stone shows us the places Art takes shelter, or used to at least. A small plaza bearing his name used to hold a table he would sleep under during harsh weather, but it’s no longer there. Both to make some money and to help out his community, Art spends most of his days collecting recyclable materials in his cart that doubles as a lean-to. Just like his peer, Kenny, Art can’t imagine a different life. He enjoys the feeling of comradery with those who use the park for their daily walks and the relative freedom of his simple lifestyle. While spartan by many people’s standards, there are plenty out there who find simple joy in being outside, a hot meal, and a soccer ball to kick around. Art is one such man.

While lacking some of the spark that made Kenny such a spectacular film, ART is a fascinating short case study into life without a home. Stone’s focus on the human element of homelessness is invaluable, as often we only discuss statistics and the most tragic of homelessness stories. ART and Kenny both show us that while many would rather not be without a home, some would choose to live rough no matter what. I feel like this not only humanizes the individual being interviewed, but the whole idea of homelessness: So many documentaries focus on the “problem” of homelessness without ever really talking to the people living in those circumstances. The problem isn’t that some people sleep in parks: The problem is a society and economy that ties living spaces to financial success. Stone forgoes judgment in this masterful example of a short documentary. At only eleven minutes and twenty-eight seconds in total runtime, there’s no excuse not to watch ART.