Previously: A lot of egos moved into a house and competed to be "The Great Artist" -- "Great" being a relative term. Now we're down to three: Peregrine, Miles and Abdi. Each artist had three months and $5,000 to blow the art world away, which should give us a better idea of what these fools can do when they're not making pop-quiz art. Apparently, they didn't have enough to fill an hou-rlong finale, because we get a recap of each of the finalists' seasons. Miles was OCD and slept on his art, but it totally worked for him. Abdi was good and then struggled and then was awesome. Peregrine was boring and then boring and then sort of okay. The winner will get $100,000 and a show at Brooklyn Museum.
Two months after last episode, Simon's traveling to see the finalists. He starts with Peregrine in Kansas City, Missouri. Simon's impressed by her home, and then meets her jazz musician/horn sculptor husband. Peregrine says her marriage is quite traditional. Then it's time to see her art, which she says is a "carnival theme." She took decorative pieces and cast them in beeswax (it looks like a doll head). Then she is casting a horse in various colors. She drew a picture of a girl vomiting. And a bunch of other vomiting drawings. And she has two unborn twin fawns under glass that she bought at a toy store (seriously? There is a toy store that sells unborn animals? Disturbing) and wants to photograph. He thinks she might have too many different things going on, but she says she's not worried about that, since this will all go great in Simon's space. Simon gruffs: "Be bold. Be amazing. Be dazzling. And be phenomenal!"
, Simon heads to Dover, Pennsylvania, to check in on Abdi. Abdi's as giddy as a little boy about having Simon in his house. Simon meets Abdi's mom, who is pretty freaking awesome, which explains a lot about Abdi. He takes Simon to the basement, and shows him his art, which he says was inspired by his last piece: He wanted to explore the human figure. He's made some athletic sculptures, and some giant canvases. Simon tells Abdi he needs to dazzle the judges and what he sees here is okay, but not dazzling. He tells Abdi that he's so technically skilled that it's harder for him to come up with the edge. Abdi's disappointed, because he wanted this to go great, but I think he's okay with it.
Finally, Simon hits Minneapolis to see Miles. It's very snowy in Minnesota. Miles and Simon hug, and Miles compliments Simon's coat. Miles shows Simon the first art piece he ever made, in third grade, which is a now-headless sculpture. He says he was very influenced by Teletubbies. Miles says he was never into art, though, until high school, when he got curious about it. They head to the garage, where Miles is working. He's been taking photos of people at a White Castle that are like security-cam shots, and transferring them to a computer, and then to silkscreen. Miles says the whole body of work is all over the place, and Simon wonders if that's what he's going for or if he wants coherence. Miles says he's doing a lot of playing, and just telling his OCD self to fuck off. He knows this will be his undoing or what helps him win. Simon thinks if Miles can convey emotion more, he'll do great. Then Miles takes Simon to his parents' house (he calls them "my mom and my pops," which is cute). They're very whitebread, middle-class America (both are music teachers). They show Simon some of Miles' early art, and everyone is happy and nice.
A month later, the artists arrive back in New York for the finale. Abdi's realizing again just how big this opportunity is as reality's setting in. Miles is blown away, but has no idea if he's ready or unprepared. Peregrine says her last few months have been amazing, and she's made some awesome work. They all greet each other with hugs and smiles. Abdi's such a big fan of the other two. OF COURSE. Then Simon breaks up the party to plug the Renaissance Hotel 57, where they're staying. He suggests they all get some sleep tonight, since he'll meet them bright and early at the Brooklyn Museum, where there will be a lot of work to do.
The morning, they head to Brooklyn on the subway and arrive at the museum. China and Simon are, of course, waiting there in a giant empty room. China welcomes them, and asks if they're excited this day is finally here. She says she's excited to see what they've done, and Miles says she's excited to see what she'll wear. China tells them the journey's not quite over, because there's one more surprise. Simon tells them that he's going to include one of the winner's works in the Phillips de Pury auction. The day, they'll show at Phillips de Pury, and someone will be named the winner.
They head from there to Phillips de Pury, where they have until midnight to install their work. Peregrine explains they have a lot to do and very little time. Miles explains his White Castle photographs again (which he was inspired to do after he took one of a man, who died two days later). So he made these pictures of a series of dots, basically, which are photos blown up to the point that's all they look like. Peregrine's show is about the young girl in all of them. She knows it's childish and weird, but also has tender, quiet moments. She cries as she says it's been a long journey for her to make the fawn piece, because she didn't have the money to do it until this competition.
Abdi's ready to hang his canvases, but his sculptures are "so not ready," because they were just taken out of the molds before leaving, and now he has to whittle them out of their packaging piece by piece. He breaks a hand off while unpacking and starts swearing at himself. He realizes it's going to take every minute to get this ready to display, so all of this wasn't for nothing.
They work, work, work, directing the guys who hang the art. Peregrine's cotton-candy machine shows up, helping complete her country-fair feeling. Abdi's reattached the limbs and has to start spray-painting them. Abdi's happy to get his sculptures done in the nick of time. They check out each other's work, and Peregrine tells Miles what she doesn't like about his. But Abdi loves it, and says they'll be friends forever. Miles is so proud of Peregrine for how good her show is. They leave for the night. The morning, they all know they could win or lose.
Peregrine says they all look like their art. When Miles is like, "I hope I don't. I made portraits of elderly White Castle patrons," she's like, "You look like your art." Miles cringes. They head in to make any finishing touches with the final hour they have to do so. Miles says they all worked hard and put together a really good group show. Peregrine's hopeful and proud.
Miles talks about how awesome it was to get to look through the Brooklyn Museum when it was totally empty, with no tourists. They all think it's crazy that one of them will show there. And that's the end of that tiny mid-commercial segment, which really adds nothing. Why do they do this? And why does it bother me so? Probably because I'm so lazy that having to pick up the remote twice this close together is a pain.
Anyway, the artists line up one last time, and China -- in what looks like a dress made out of clear plastic bags -- introduces judges Jeanne, Jerry, Bill and special guest David LaChapelle, which is obviously hugely exciting for the artists, though LaChapelle sweetly tells them how much he's looking forward to seeing their work. The show begins. Sarah Jessica Parker's there, of course. There are also sightings of Ryan, Nicole, Jaclyn, Erik and a bunch of random New Yorkers.
Miles's gallery title is "And Two White Castles, That's It." It's written on an introductory sign, followed by a paragraph of text: "There is personal history surrounding the act of indulgence throughout a life. One repeated indulgence is able to access a bank of memories tied to these moments of release for an individual, extending and connecting each act to both the and the . These connections inevitably compile and strength over a life, giving a higher significance to indulgence (and the release found within) during the late stages of existence." Huh?
He explains: There are photographs in the first room of his gallery. In the room are the original three photographs of the man who died. In the last room are the abstraction/dot photos. He explains it to Nicole, who seems fascinated. Miles is proud of taking a chance. The judges and SJP rave and rave. LaChapelle thinks he sees the face of Jesus. The Brooklyn Museum curator isn't so impressed. Miles's dad gives him a hug and tells him he doesn't want him to leave Minnesota, but that Sarah Jessica's probably ready to hire him.
Peregrine's gallery is . It's called "Fair Game," with the following explanation: "Carnivals and country fairs permit us to ogle oddities, compete for novelties, succeed with simple skills, and gorge on trashy food. With modern tabloidization harkening back to carnies calling on the midway, this sherbert circus evokes a cloying romance with contemporary shills and glittering gaffs. Everyone wants to win the prize, woo the girl, and overindulge." Okay. I mean, at least I knew what she was trying to say. She explains that it plays on country fairs and competition.
We get a glimpse of her beeswax heads, her cotton candy (Jaime Lynn's feeding it to Jaclyn). The show's everything she hoped, including the cotton candy flying everywhere. SJP's especially impressed by the fawns. At the end, the girls are sick because of overindulgence. Peregrine's husband is there, and hugs her and tells her how proud he is. She thanks him very formally for coming out. Weird.
is Abdi's gallery, "Luminous Beings," with this below the headline: "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. - 1 Corinthians 13:12" I'm not a religious person, but I found that to be much more powerful as a show intro than the other two rambling paragraphs. Abdi explains that his theme, which includes two sculptures in the middle of the floor, is how the beauty of humanity has been covered up: through socioeconomic issues, evil, violence, etc.
The judges love this, and think he's never done anything like it. One picture, of what looks like a body bag, called "Home," actually brings LaChapelle to tears. Abdi explains to Erik that he just brought the pieces that are good, and Erik thinks he chose well. Nao and Judith have the most obnoxious conversation ever. SJP and Abdi's mother both say how proud they are. Abdi says he's grown so much in making this show that he can't help but feel great about it.
The guest judges mingle and talk about how far they've come since they judged them (or, you know, it could be that they had three months to work on this stuff instead of 24 hours). The Brooklyn Museum curator is impressed at how different the three shows are: One is conceptualism, one is feminism, one is about issues of race. SJP's excited they have futures. The visitors all head out, so the artists can get to the final crit.
They start with Miles, who explains again how he came to the White Castle thing. Bill asks him what he's responding to in the abstractions, but he thinks they feel cold. Jerry's amazed he's exploring depth and says he really followed an obsession. LaChapelle tells Miles that the more you know about Miles's work, the more interesting it becomes, but he thinks it might be a work in progress. They all clap and say he's an artists to the core.
Abdi tells them that his show is about creating a layer of separation from something we take for granted or don't appreciate. LaChapelle tells Abdi he didn't get exactly what it was about immediately, but there was still beauty in it. Jerry thought maybe it was overdetermined: too much darkness. But LaChapelle says it stayed alive in his mind, and the narrative kept changing. Bill thinks having the sketchbook out was "art school," and he should just show the work. Jeanne tells Abdi what he's achieved here is a state of grace, like a musician playing, and it's something very rare.
Peregrine explains she wanted to do something fantastic, because people can do things at the circus or fair that aren't accepted in all places. Jeanne reacts to the fawns and Peregrine gets all choked up. LaChapelle loves one of the wax boy's heads, which has simplicity and restraint but beauty and tenderness. He tells her it's magic how she communicated her work. Jerry says it's amazing. Bill thinks she should have edited the show down, to remove the carousel room and the vomiting pictures, and just stick to the really good stuff. China tells them they've given them a lot to think about. The artists head to a waiting room to relax after their tough critiques.
Back in the gallery, the judges talk about how all the shows are pretty great. They discuss Miles, who they think has grown a lot but had a tunnel vision to his work. They think there was no payoff to the scavenger hunt of his work. They had an emotional, visceral reaction to Abdi's work, but Jerry thinks it's a little melodramatic. LaChapelle sticks up for it and says there's a lot more to the body bag called "Home" than a body bag. Peregrine: They universally loved the boy's head. They think there's power and strength to her isolated, edited pieces that you don't see when it's all together. Jerry agrees, but loves the spirit she conjured. China asks if they have a winner, and they're all, "Oh yeah" and "Absolutely." Why can't I figure out who they're going to say? It's obviously Abdi or Peregrine, but which one?
The artists are lined up again. China tells them all how inspired and excited the judges have been by their work throughout, including tonight. Long, dramatic pause. China starts with Miles. She tells him he's an amazing artist, but he's not the winner, because it felt like a work in progress. He gets a little emotional, but Peregrine gets really emotional. And China tears up, too. Miles is disappointed -- it "felt like shit to lose" -- but is looking forward to doing more work like this.
Jerry tells Peregrine how deeply personal and intense her work is, and Abdi agrees. Bill tells Abdi he has a technically amazing hand, but his heart really moved them tonight. Peregrine and Abdi hug, and then China congratulates ... Abdi. He's completely speechless, then hugs Peregrine and cries a bit. Jeanne dabs her eyes, too, and LaChapelle's a little misty as he tells Abdi the art world needs artists like him. Abdi's glad he's welcome. He's such a cute little boy getting to sit at the grown-ups' table for the first time.
The rest of the cast comes out from the back, and Abdi gives Simon a giant hug. Peregrine feels like she had a $100,000 lottery ticket in her coat and left it on the subway, but she's super-happy for Abdi. He explains later how much he needed to find his mom ("It was like Rocky trying to find Adrian") because this victory is as much hers as his. He finds her and they cry and hug. He says he's giving her the money and is going to let her give him some. He kisses her a bunch on the head, which is adorable. LaChapelle tells Abdi how great he is. The coolest thing about this is that I think everyone's genuinely happy for him, because the guy made no enemies on this show. Plus, he made great work. I can live with that.
Watch scenes from the episode below, discuss them in our forums, then see other new summer shows!
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DeAnn, a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon, might use Abdi's show at Brooklyn Museum as an excuse for her trip to New York. You can contact her at twopmodmars@gmail.com.