Paul McCarthy's Bossy Burger: A Culinary Chaos

Paul McCarthy's 1991 video performance 'Bossy Burger' is the focus of the fourth episode of 'En tête-à-tête avec McCarthy' by Christophe Le Gac. The work, lasting 59 minutes and 1 second, was created for a solo exhibition at Rosamund Felsen Gallery in Los Angeles on November 20, 1991. McCarthy constructed a domestic set from fragments of nearby theaters and film studios, featuring a central room, hallway, and back kitchen. He pre-recorded the performance on VHS tape, which was then played on monitors within the installation. Dressed as a chef in white with a red apron and monumental chef's hat, McCarthy wore a mask of Alfred E. Neuman from MAD magazine. The video incorporates multiple camera angles and editing, reflecting a cinematic approach. The mundane activity of cooking descends into chaos, with ketchup as a central element, ultimately resembling a still life reminiscent of Rembrandt's 'The Flayed Ox' (1655). The reddish tones and the mask's features evoke the Dutch painter's self-portraits. McCarthy critiques consumer society and media conditioning through parody. The episode is part of the exhibition 'Monsieur McCarthy, que prenez-vous dans votre thé ?' organized by Le Miroir and Théâtre Auditorium de Poitiers, in conjunction with the Rencontres Michel Foucault, which was interrupted by the pandemic. The video is in the collection of the Centre Pompidou in Paris.