Trixie’s List chatted with video producers Mark Allen and The Hudson Wail for a (virtual) tête-à-tête and asked a few questions about their recent video “Building Permit”.
Trixie’s List: What was your inspiration?
Mark Allen: There’s a lot of strong opinion about the businesses that open up in Hudson. We’ve noticed people treat businesses that open and close here almost like artworks. What does it mean? Who is it for? Who does it represent? Is it genuine? We’re mirroring that perspective, exaggerating people’s wishes and fears about what they’d like or not like to open in Hudson. We wanted the medium to be as close to the message as possible, hence the fake permits. Originally I imagined doing this on my own as a prank, putting a bunch of fake permits all along Warren Street anonymously. No credit. Then I thought it should be a video instead. Then I thought… both? That’s when I approached The Hudson Wail to collaborate. I felt like Madonna approaching Britney Spears! I was honored they said yes. Soon we were shaping the project together, sharpening it. I wrote half the permits, Wail wrote the rest.
The Hudson Wail: You know that thing where there’s a vacant space and you wonder what might be next? You see a permit on it but it’s so ambiguous you can’t figure out what it could be. But you just know deep down that it will be more ridiculous than what came before? Something like that. Mark had the idea and reached out.
Trixie’s List: What was it like to collaborate?
Mark Allen: It was funny working on a project with someone I’d never physically meet. I felt like Charlie’s Angels communicating with Charlie through a speaker, “Now Kelly, Jill, Sabrina, I want you to write some building permits…” I still don’t know who The Hudson Wail is, and don’t want to. They’re like a local Batman villain! (hero?) We did everything through DMs and password videos. I mostly shot and edited the video, but we both conceived and directed it. The installation process was similar. My boyfriend, Hudson artist Will McLeod, helped there. When the whole thing was in the can, you, Trixie, came up with a fake business I wished we had used: The Loud Botanist!
The Hudson Wail: It was a blast working with Mark. I’ve come to enjoy our chats in DMs. Mark did all the heavy lifting.
Trixie’s List: What was the response?
Mark Allen: The response to the video has been great! The installation ended up kind of lost in the shuffle, even if we got positive feedback on the concept. The idea was to put a fake building permits on every empty storefront on Warren (there’s a lot). We used materials we knew wouldn’t damage. When we were installing it Friday night, walking back down Warren on the other side we noticed many had been taken down already in the span of an hour(!) By early the next morning almost half were gone. By Sunday morning there were only seven left. We think they were removed for a variety of reasons. As far as guerrilla art goes: a success.
The Hudson Wail: The response has been mostly positive. Some guy on “Gossips of Rivertown” said it was tired or something. And one dude on the Hudson Unfiltered Facebook Group said we stole ten minutes of his life. If there’s more like him, that could be hours wasted! But lots of other people liked it so I will focus on that.
Trixie’s List comment – Teasing Hudson with Kennedy Fried Chicken 2 is still too soon! I miss their warm post-midnight dollar sweet potato pie like I miss a first love.