Cody Critcheloe and KC's Ssion at MoMA PS1

The Ssion "Bent" MoMA PS1 PopRally performances are utterly fantastic. Cody Critcheloe and his band of pan-discipline collaborators make a new space of image, sound, movement and style that is so energetically pristine it rips to the high-end of DIY. Critcheloe fulfills his pop-stardom and the punks win.

The Ssion is mounted as a traditional pop star project. Imagine this was put together by Malcum McLaren, Paisley Park and the good folks at Motown. Critcheloe assumes the role of media icon. He projects himself into the same domain, onto the same platform, as his idols. They are mostly Women in Rock. Inside the shimmering sphere he finds communion with these stars, continues their narratives and inserts his own. We are all dancing, Ssion-face on. It sounds like this.

Listen To The Grrrls by SSION

It is a wonderful success that these brick-dust glitter kids from Missouri and Kentucky have found national support for their personal myths. Pop culture icons in heart and soul, maybe that's all it ever takes!

I really enjoyed seeing all of the collaborators who traveled to New York from Kansas City to make the production. Some friendly faces I spotted were Christopher Good (documentation!), Megan Mantia (dancing / documentation!), J. Ashley Miller (music & rapping! / birthday!), Garrett Fuselier (video / digital staging / birthday!), Drew Bolton (video / digital staging / working the crowd!), Jaimie Warren (dancing!), Shannon Michalski (power!), Zach Van Benthusen (staging!) and Matt Huff (dressing everyone for Peggy Noland!). I'm so proud and impressed by everyone. I'm sure there are tons and tons more Gumbys rolled into this ball whom I didn't catch or who weren't there in body.

Plus, it was really great how the show brought some KC ex-patriots out of the woodwork. And it gave us a chance to meet all sorts of new people who are open and ready for this fun we love so dearly.

Photo Credits
1. Photo by Kathy Grayson
2. Cody by Julia Fredenburg
3. Photo by Anthony Cuellar
4. Photo by Rebecca Smeyne
5. Ssion by Mindy Bond
6. Ashley, Bobby, Jamie by Julia Fredenburg

Our friend Dylan hadn't seen the Ssion before! Here's his impression:
http://dylansarm.tumblr.com/post/5597292317/heres-a-photo-that-julia-took-of-the-mind-blowing