Brion Gysin with Dreamachine at Musée des Art Décoratifs, Paris, 1962. The first U.S. retrospective of Gysin's work is exhibited at the New Museum until October 3rd.

Art has long been manipulated and stretched to its limits by faux-enigmatic artists and their absurd creations.  Brion Gysin’s skill and artistic tact offers an invigorating contrast to the pompousness that is becoming the status quo for new artwork.  Gysin detaches himself from his works, producing modern art in its most organic and unpretentious form.  Likewise, his pieces embody a harmonious union of stoic precision and nonsensical Dadaist qualities.

The Cut Ups is Gysin’s most poignant work—its primitive obscurity beckons to anyone nearby and slowly reveals a twisted, mesmeric core.  True to name, the work is a fusion of four separate films.  A foot of the first film was cut and joined with a foot of the second film; in turn, this was connected to a foot of the third film and so on—this was repeated until all the rolls were cut and pasted together.  The audio of The Cut Ups is a loop of four phrases narrated by Brion Gysin, randomly rearranged.

Blank canvases and barren sculpture populate much of the modern art circuit—it is refreshing to see a piece that is serious in execution, but does not take itself seriously.  Gysin’s art is stimulating in such a way that few other works can be.  While methodical and unequivocal, it lacks the constriction common in avant-garde, Dada works.  This non-rigid approach, however, does not imply interactivity.  The Cut Ups is hypnotic quicksand, taking viewers for a ride with or without their consent.