The latest 73 Degree Films project involved them travelling from Wrexham to Berlin where they attempted to create a giant self-portrait with 1,000 lipstick kisses in 24 hours… before destroying it.
“We were already pushing the limits of performance art at home in Wales, watching Ryan Reynolds films 100 times in a row and opening Mystery Box Shops so I thought it was time we went to the performance art capital of the world to try and do something completely unexpected.”
In a new film released online, Robert Corcoran and James Stevens (along with Sam Jones and Dave Gray), take us along for the ride as they create the giant painting outside 24 iconic landmarks in Berlin. The team attracts crowds outside the Brandenburg Gate, visits notorious nightclub Bergahin, rubs shoulders with ravers at 3am and even pops to David Bowie’s Berlin flat.
The Idea
“The idea was to stay up all night while painting. We ended up in one of these weird bars around 5am where everyone smokes inside. I was annoyed they wouldn’t let us charge the camera, but James loved it. He drank 4 beers, 4 shots and we kept going.”
The project has a serious side, too, aiming to use performance art to explore themes of love, intimacy, and mental health.
“I had the idea during a low period and wanted to make something really difficult, in an intimate way, then destroy it. I wondered if it would feel satisfying to have that control or sad knowing it would all be for nothing. I’m super excited to see how other people interpret it.”
The core idea of creating a self-portrait from kisses seemed simple enough but proved extremely difficult to get just right.
“We did a tonne of tests in Wrexham and they mostly failed. It turns out that painting with your lips is tough! Thankfully, my cousin Mike made some great suggestions and we managed to pull it off at the last second.”
If you’d like to see the final painting and witness the entire creation and destruction process, check out the 11-minute film on YouTube now! And make sure to follow 73 Degree Films on Youtube, Instagram and Tiktok. Next up for 73 – completing the Mystery Box Shop film.
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