Behind the Bizaare and Tragic Story of Shaye St. John

October 28, 2015 10:21 AM

"Shaye Saint John videos are the internet's answer to outsider art, and they've been flippantly relegated to just another thing in "that weird part of YouTube." There's no big artist reveal, no studio-backed film adaptation, no corporate sponsorship. She posted videos on YouTube, and then one day, she stopped."

"...in reality, Shaye Saint John [was] a rubber mask and deflated costume draped over a wheelchair when not worn by Eric Fournier, shy and genius artist. Battling alcoholism and overflowing with ideas, he [used] the Shaye character to create art while deflecting the spotlight away from himself."

(previously)

posted by anazgnos (11 comments total)

aaaah

huuuut

.
posted by boo_radley at 10:27 AM on October 28, 2015 [2 favorites]

Oh my god. The 'Hand Thing' was a huge in joke between me and my ex. Im excited to watch more.
posted by kittensofthenight at 10:54 AM on October 28, 2015

I’ve had a love for the “Hand Thing” video for years. It’s high art, i tell you.

Ahh hoy ahh hoy ahh hoy ahh hoy.
posted by D.C. at 12:00 PM on October 28, 2015 [1 favorite]

A very interesting overview. I remember watching these videos way back when (way back when...not really, but in internet years, of course, yesterday is way back when) and it's sad that the creator is gone. You don't often get so many examples of this kind of performative art that are so...specific, I guess? There was a whole story to the Shaye character, and yet the videos were all so out there and disturbing. Good to get a small glimpse into the person who created them.
posted by xingcat at 12:07 PM on October 28, 2015 [2 favorites]

Woah! Very cool! First I've seen about Shaye that addresses what was going on behind the camera.

So unsettling, so good, so WEIRD!

I don't know what I think or feel about Shaye perhaps somewhat being a chosen persona rather than merely a puppet/character. I think it adds this whole other depth that I hadn't considered.
posted by Matt Oneiros at 1:19 PM on October 28, 2015

"The Hand Thing" is a good representation of what my dreams are like when I have a fever.
posted by Foam Pants at 1:28 PM on October 28, 2015

I had never seen Hand Thing before and it made me super uneasy in a way I can't help but respect.
posted by cortex at 1:28 PM on October 28, 2015 [3 favorites]

When I moved to LA in 2008, the only thing I was excited about was the possibility of getting to see some Shaye in person. That never happened, and that's unfortunate, but I'm happy every time recollections bubble up, because some people clearly found the same kind of fascination that I did.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:48 PM on October 28, 2015

I just watched part of The Hand Thing and my physical reaction was exactly the feeling of being Thriller Cat.

Clearly I need to watch this, but probably with some preparation and not at work.

Sad to lose an artist with such powerful ability to grab you by the scruff of the neck.
posted by gusandrews at 3:21 PM on October 28, 2015 [2 favorites]

Frankly, I just don't understand the lack of corporate sponsorship.
posted by mikeand1 at 6:03 PM on October 28, 2015 [1 favorite]

I like this a lot. It's like New Wave Theater reborn.

It also reminds me of the low-budget videos artists like Renaldo and The Loaf and The Residents were doing back in the 1980s.

Thanks for hipping me to this.
posted by the matching mole at 1:19 PM on October 29, 2015