CHANGE HELL (an adaptation of the novella and screenplay)
[Download PDF]
[Listen , 1.5MB]

by Edward K. Brown II

Summary

The story is an adaptation from the novella and screenplay. Change Hell is about an artist who must face his demons in order to get a show in a gallery. A Dionysian tale, Peter I. Wasworth, a fledgling visual artist, must come to terms with what it takes to be a postmodern success in New York City. Change Hell, full of wit and charm, fuses East Village grunge humor and horror with Soho artsy nuance and intrigue during a time when performance art was its peak in popularity.

Excerpt

Unbeknownst to the reception guests, who were still engrossed completely in their matter of facts, Fareswell stood before one of his works, the red one, with his back to it. He looked at everyone in the gallery to get their attention. No one was interested in the slightest. Fareswell peered across the room to Sabuccia who stood in the corner waiting. She puckered her lips, shrugged her shoulders and offered her hands, touching at the wrists, to the artist insinuating that these were his people, his flock of children on whom he must cast his spell, implying if he did this, she would be his. Feeling the vibe of Sabuccia's psychic transference, Fareswell took a deep breath, then burst joyfully with a hearty yell while his arms flailed about as he gestured congenially.

Once he had enough of that, he moved on to the yellow painting and roared ferociously. He raked the air with his hands, gnashed his teeth and furled his brow. Spit flew from his mouth like sparks from an ignited fuse. Realizing that he was becoming too absorbed with the ire of the yellow painting, he placed himself in front of the green one. His voice and gestures, subdued as if disinterested, lethargic--barely a peep out of him. Fareswell, aware that he was losing his audience, stepped before the black painting. He moaned in anguish, contorting his body for emphasis. Emptiness was brought forth as he stood with mouth gaping, his body going limp. The artist continued on through the di-juxtapositions, comparing and complexing his voice and gesticulation respectively to each color in hybrid combination. When Fareswell got to the final painting, the quadi-juxtaposition, he frenzied until exhaustion consumed his senses. He fell to the floor in exasperation.

The performance had been executed; however, the show was about to begin. The now silenced guests viewed the artist and concluded instinctively that this exhibit was a work-in-completion. They followed suit by primally expressing their opinions, grunting and groaning individually and in groups, about the paintings. An awareness charged the gallery, creating a continuity amongst the attendees up to the point when they all became enraptured in convoluted convulsions, in an ominous, gregarious chant.