Madonna finally released her long anticipated secreprojectrevolution, a collaboration with noted fashion photographer Steven Klein, last night at midnight. The 17-minute film, aside from being as imperceptible as the teasers promised, is also stunning. Madge and Klein serve as co-directors for the project, which simultaneously launches Art for Freedom, a global initiative to further freedom of expression, created by Madonna, curated by VICE, and distributed by BitTorrent.
According to a press release:
Art For Freedom is a global digital initiative, led by Madonna, designed to fuel free speech – to respond, address and protest persecution around the world. It is an online public art project encouraging the world to express their personal meaning of freedom and revolution, in the form of video, music, poetry, and photography. Public submissions will become part of the Art For Freedom platform: contributors can join the project by uploading original artwork or tagging original posts #artforfreedom.
Madonna stars as a flawless revolutionary with a gorgeous bang who is thrown into jail for…causing a commotion. “I keep telling everyone that I want to start a revolution but no one is taking me seriously. If I had black skin and an afro, would you take me seriously? If I was an Arab waving a hand grenade, would you take me seriously?” the 55-year-old iconoclast asks in the occasional voiceover. “Instead, I’m a woman. I’m a blonde. I have tits and ass and an insatiable desire to be noticed.”
We might take her seriously if she was honest about her true hair color, but that’s neither here nor there. In typical Madonna fashion, the clip is sexy and provocative — but not provocative (or preachy) for the sake of being provocative (or preachy), as some of her lesser work has been criticized. It’s an artistic statement from the most successful female musician in pop history, who’s been scandalizing people for over 30 years. It’s not shocking or particularly revolutionary, but it is worthy of repeat viewings, if only because it’s so far left of center of what one would expect from someone of Madonna’s stature at this point in her career. But it’s still very Madonna.
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She and Klein have done amazing work in the past, most notably their epic portfolios for W magazine, and this time out they’ve topped themselves. Let’s hear a few snaps for this gunplay alone:
And a golf clap for these gorgeous dancers doing impossible things with their gorgeous bodies:
And a standing ovation for these burnished ballet boy buns, the best part of waking up this morning:
You can download secretprojecrtrevolution for free at BitTorrent, along with a few extras including art from the film, HD trailers, an exclusive interview with Madonna and handwritten notes from Madge and Klein. The revolution will not be televised, but it will be available on most mobile devices.
Oh, and by the bye, ball’s in your court, Gaga. Good luck with that.
krystalkleer
long live THE QUEEN…I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E!!!
http://getoffmydress.blogspot.com/2013/09/this-is-what-i-do.html
Fitz
I’m totally OVER the middle aged high-waisted dominatrix thing.
She did it. She did it well, revisiting it again and again is a bore.
Bomo Queebo
as usual for old “Miss Ann”, very 1970’s & oh-so-over….
tardis
Didn’t Steven Klien do Gaga’s Alejandro as well? These two sort of look and feel the same.
NateB79
@tardis: According to wikipedia, yes.
Niall
@tardis: As well as Lady Gaga’s commercial for “Fame”, which also kinda looks like this. Basically he’s a one trick pony aesthetics wise.
yaoming
Very arty… and not necessarily in a bad way.
NoelG
I don’t know why the ball has to be in Gaga’s corner. Are they competing? They are on the same side of the issue. Stylistically and in language and tone it’s very reminiscent of Gaga’s work. I don’t know why Madonna has an issue with Gaga except that she’s apparently been listening to the trolls.
scotshot
zzzzzzz
hotshot70
OK. GRANDMADONNA, Time for you to go to the old folks home. It’s sad when the elderly think thyey can wear dominatrix gear. If I wasn’t gay before, seeing her saggy, pointy bra just turned me.
hotshot70
“Mom! Grandma’s drunk again!”
Red Meat
Why is she ranting about everything everyone already knows its going on? What so secret about this? What is new?
She is just promoting herself as usual.
Rabbit
‘This film is dedicated to those have been persecuted,…
…or their sexual preferences’
Sweetie, it’s orientation, not preference. Preference would indicate I chose to be gay and could switch teams at will.
Get it right, won’t you?
Jackhoffsky
@Rabbit: ouch. and THANK YOU.
also… it’s ‘economics’ not ‘eeeconomics.’
that being said… it was fun, visually stunning and tightly executed. captivating and very… stark. the first major male dancer is phenomenal – his movements are genius. i think the naked male dancer was good as well, but out of place and unnecessary (unless he represented ‘hope’ or something… but it would have probably worked better as a naked woman).
also i think the prose could have been tighter and more definitive (less simile references). but was captivating and interesting in a post-apocalyptic French wild west sort of way.
seaki
We are listening Madonna,….and I am WITH you!
Faggot
@Jackhoffsky: Webster’s, the OED, most dictionaries show both pronunciations: [ek-uh-nom-iks, ee-kuh-].
Linguistic fascism is ugly.
Faggot
It is a shame that the so-called “supporters” of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (stage name, Lady GaGa) feel that they have to criticize and disrespect Madonna in order to make Miss Germanotta look better. It doesn’t make her look better, but just shows how immature and mean-spirited her fan base is. Let’s just hope that her “fans” don’t ruin her career.
If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility,
he learns to fight.
If a child lives with fear,
he learns to be apprehensive.
If a child lives with pity,
he learns to feel sorry for himself.
If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with jealousy,
he learns what envy is.
If a child lives with shame,
he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with encouragement,
he learns to be confident.
If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with praise,
he learns to be appreciative.
If a child lives with acceptance,
he learns to love.
If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with recognition,
he learns that it is good to have a goal.
If a child lives with sharing,
he learns about generosity.
If a child lives with honesty and fairness,
he learns what truth and justice are.
If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith in himself and in those about him.
If a child lives with friendliness,
he learns that the world is a nice place in which to live.
If you live with serenity,
your child will live with peace of mind.
With what is your child living?