There’s really no point in me trying to convince you that the Quay Brothers exhibit at MoMA is worth your time and money. Either you find them deeply disturbing and you like them or you find them deeply disturbing and you don’t like them. However, since they are not a household name, I thought it might be useful to design a little quiz, a litmus test, really, so that you can decide whether or not they’re right for you.
1. Your favorite museum in the world is …
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- The Louvre
- The Hermitage
- The Mutter Museum
2. Do you have a penchant for Polish and Czech surrealism?
Yes or no.
3. One of your favorite authors is…
- Jane Austen
- Raymond Carver
- Toni Morrison
- Franz Kafka
4. Your favorite film featuring twins is…
- Twins
- Escape to Witch Mountain
- The Parent Trap
- Dead Ringers
5. You love animation. Your most precious memory is …
- the hundredth time you watched Cars with my son!
- when you brought yourdaughter’s karate class to see Kung Fu Panda.
- watching Davy and Goliath on Sunday mornings with your mother and father right before you all went to church.
- attending the premiere of the The Nightmare Before Christmas on acid.
6. Do you know what the black edge around this envelope signifies?
Yes or no.
7. Watching a film without any discernable narrative is fun!
Yes or no.
8. Jan Svankmajer is…
- a brand of sausage.
- the Czech Republic’s answer to Nipsey Russell.
- is a totally made up name.
- your favorite filmmaker.
9. You like art with titles such as …
- The Girl with the Pearl Earring
- Water Lilies
- The Rest on the Flight to Egypt
- Please Sniff Powdered Deer Ejaculate
If you chose yes and d to all of these questions, you’ll enjoy the exhibit. If you answered no and anything other than d to 4 or more questions, you might want to skip it. (This is very unscientific.)
Here's a short video interview with the twins. They seem quite charming. Almost normal. Like maybe they'd be nice lads to have a spot of tea with.
If you’re still unsure, here’s a music video the Quay Brothers did for the band His Name Is Alive.
Quay Brothers: On Deciphering the Pharmacist’s Prescription for Lip-Reading Puppets can be seen at MoMA until January 7, 2013. I recommend going on a cold, wet, gray day in November.
