Art Pussy Went to Puerto Rico and Didn't Get Stabbed

How much cooler and more efficient would hardcore shows be if they just had three good bands each play ten-minute consecutive sets, then you could leave and get pizza without feeling bad about popping out for a slice during the most boring act? At least Art Pussy gets it. They’re a five-person, Brooklyn-based experimental performing and promoting collective that organizes shows comprised of 15-minute music sets, two stages, theatrical transitions between bands, and original projections and films playing behind each act. They recently went to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a performance and also produced a short film about the show and trip.

VICE: Tell me about the name Art Pussy. Why’d you choose it?
Jake Remington: Art Pussy was born during a trip to Santa Monica in October 2011. We were all hanging out for the first time and staying at the Hotel California shooting a short film in the Mojave Desert. The name came from an offhanded remark during the trip and gets interpreted many different ways. It’s loaded with meaning but ultimately it's an extremely absurd moniker that seemed appropriate considering what we were discussing. When we were growing up all of us were, and still are, romantic people…love, art, music, writing, acting, everything, so we've all been called pussies by some asshole at one point or another. We figured we'd embrace that and turn it into a strong presence or statement. A few sponsors have shied away from the name, but if anything I’d say “art” is the uglier of the two words. You recently took a trip to Puerto Rico. I was there was ten years ago, and our hosts took us to a big club that played nu metal. Someone got stabbed, but it wasn't a big deal—they just made him leave. Did you experience anything like this, or notice crime not being a big deal?
Sounds like a hell of a show. Puerto Rico is somewhat of a lawless place, which is why we thought it'd be a perfect host for Art Pussy. Nobody got stabbed but we had a few incidents that could have escalated if handled the wrong way.

In the behind-the-scenes video you can see our friends locked unwillingly behind a gate in the venue two days before the show. I’m not talking shit about the venue because they had an uber-professional sound guy and were ultimately a great partner to have down there, but there was definitely some confusion, yelling, and threats of violence at a few points throughout the trip. We had a fucking blast and all that chaos is what Art Pussy thrives on. I’d say you're more likely to be killed in a car accident there because anything goes on the road in San Juan. Your mix of music, film, features, and art have so many different reference points. How did this translate in Puerto Rico, a place not know for experimental art and film?
Our goal was to connect with family and friends in San Juan and listen to their suggestions about what bands and acts we should feature. We flew five bands, about 15 friends, down with us from Brooklyn, but other than that we had over 30 experimental and traditional Puerto Rican acts spanning music, art, dance, and theater, so it was us presenting both cultures through the Art Pussy kaleidoscope.

The two shows we threw there were the best we've done so far, and a lot of that had to do with the audience. To this point we've been presenting stage-directed events that don't stop once they start. We’ve done it this way up because we like to keep the audience guessing. Fifteen minutes is about the point where people start to become conscious of the fact that they're standing there in a venue, holding a beer, watching a show, wondering when the next band will start. We want to keep everybody in the moment so they're not just watching something happen, they're actively participating in the events unfolding in front of them. In Puerto Rico there was a lot of audience participation, call and response, and dancing, which of course doesn’t always happen in the United States.

With cheap rents and surfing is San Juan the next Rockaway? Are we going to see goth parties there and bohemian burger joints, or will people get cut trying to do shit like that there?
Relocating to San Juan came up more than once while we were there. The women and cheap rum would probably be our biggest motivators, and, I’m sure, our ultimate downfall. I think we counted 28 empty bottles of Palo Viejo at the end of the trip. People in San Juan were more welcoming than unwelcoming so if you wanted to find the next Rockaway it's definitely there.

@anthonypops