Ryan Trecartin's Video Installations at MoMA PS1 and Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris

Ryan Trecartin, born in 1981, creates video installations that critique contemporary American adolescence, consumerism, and digital overload. His exhibition at MoMA PS1 (June 19–September 3, 2011) and later at Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (October 18, 2011–January 8, 2012) featured multiple videos shown on large screens in individually themed rooms (living room, office, bedroom, gym). Trecartin writes, directs, acts in, and edits his videos, with production handled by collaborator Lizzie Fitch. The videos feature saturated colors, loud soundtracks, and rapid editing, with characters speaking in slang that often requires subtitles. Themes include gender, homosexuality, corporate uniformity, and job loss, notably in the video "K-CorealINC.K." Trecartin cites influences from Disney, pop music, and Cindy Sherman. He was named a top emerging artist by the Wall Street Journal in 2006 and included in Artforum's best exhibitions of 2010. Critic Roberta Smith compared him to Paul McCarthy, Matthew Barney, and Pipilotti Rist. The Paris presentation included a collaborative work with Fitch titled "Any Ever."