Newest video, desire or self-destruction?

Lala Drona’s latest performance video titled “Willing” has just been released.  The performance examines desire, choice, and notions of consent.  Critic Leanne Richmond stirred up media response with her recent reading of Lala Drona’s video, stating that, for her, the video is about “the inability to resist self-destructive behaviour.”  Based on a Fact caught up with Lala to learn more about the inspiration behind the video performance:

Lala Drona was inspired by ideas surrounding consent.  “I was thinking about the complexities of sexuality and society, and how in order to receive consent, we must in some way, already trespass.  In my video, this is demonstrated by how you cannot see the answer (yes or no) until the irreversible move is made by shaving.  Unwanted advances, verbal and physical, are seen as harassment (regardless of gender).  However, without them, we do not know how to begin advances towards what we want.  In a similar vein, this notion of obtaining consent is not at all new to women.  We have been systematically programmed to ask for consent to speak, consent to be part of to the team, consent to just be in the room.  Women asking men to start including it in their sexual practices is really nothing in comparison.”

Lala Drona mentions that the title “Willing” is not meant to be understood at face value, and is meant to be taken as humour au second degré.

Nonetheless, art critic Leanne Richmond theorised that “since Lala Drona is the only individual in the piece, this is really a piece about identity and the psyche.  The performer is asking and receiving consent from herself.  This demonstrates the loving and destructive acts we commit on ourselves.  In the video, although the performer’s psyche is saying “stop” (on the skin of her head), she is unable to resist the temptation to self-destructive behaviour, shown by the shaving of the rest of her hair.”

What do you think about Lala Drona’s newest art performance video? 

The Beard: Lala’s newest video gets hairy

Just released, Lala Drona’s newest art video “The Beard,” makes waves amongst the digital masses (video below). The newest instalment in her video series La Minute Ladrona (the stolen minute) has fans deliberating the true meaning behind the video.

Lala Drona with Jamika Ajalon

The artist covers topics in beard history, possibly linking beard trends to the different waves of women’s liberation. She unpacks the contemporary and metaphorical beard in a playful and enigmatic way.

The video stays true to Lala Drona’s iconic style. Moving video interacts with static digital image, while she whispers poetry over a black backdrop. However, this piece takes a documentary-style spin, diving into the beard as historical artefact, and looking into its influence on society as a whole. For the first time in the video series, Lala Drona incorporates audio from other authors/vocalists: one cameo by performance artist Jamika Ajalon, recorded specifically for this project.

Video still from “The Beard”

A series first, Lala Drona also collaborated with someone else during the performance part of the video project. “What makes this video groundbreaking [within the series] is that Lala Drona shares the screen with someone else! Drone No.1 from the Lala’s created universe has crossed over into the La Minute Ladrona Series! Long live Drone No. 1!!!!” (digitalfire58, Dronauniverse Forum).

Drone No.1, a favourite in the Lala Drona Universe, has caused fans to come out of the woodwork, reminiscing on the Drone No.1 saga, and praising his return in the form of internet memes.

Not surprisingly, the appearance of Drone No.1 has inspired conspiracy theories that Lala Drona will soon return to her work on the Lala Laboratory, after a long pause due to her European Art Tour. Others speculate on how this video came about, pointing to the easter eggs left in social media posts from Lala Drona’s European travels.

Either way, we are impressed with the trailblazing evolution of her work. This video marks a stylistic shift. “The Beard” art video is a must-see. Below, a link to the video. We also suggest seeing all of the “La Minute Ladrona” video series found here.

La Rupture

Lala Drona has made her first artistic appearance since arriving in Beijing, but one could say she’s not quite all there.  In her newest performance art video, Lala Drona sports a broken tooth.  In typical “Lala” fashion, she gives no explanation to what happened, hoping that the art will be enough to satiate her followers.  The peculiar thing is, this gaping smile isn’t all that unfamiliar.  Lala Drona emerged broken-toothed in February 2013, just some four years ago right after she moved to Paris, France.  Why Lala is sporting a look from four years ago is past us, and whether or not she sprouts the next fashion tooth-trend is up for debate.
But in all seriousness, it is quite strange that the last two times Lala has changed countries, she has emerged with a broken tooth.  As the video mentions both Paris and Beijing, one can infer that Lala is not only talking about her dental fracture, but also the fracture that comes from leaving a country, and its people behind.  She also states that she doesn’t have much time [before someone comes and repairs her.]  In the performance, Lala expresses a desperation to explore her moment of “rupture,” before someone comes and “fills in the gap” so to speak.
We can all relate to this feeling of rupture, whether it be saying goodbye to someone, or moving on from a particular stage in our lives.  Most of us try to push through it as quickly as possible.  However, in her video performance, “La Rupture,” Lala asks us to pay attention to it, to live it and to appreciate it while it’s there.  It could be where your rawest creativity exists.

Based on a fact.

Percy Fleming, Beijing’s Booming Magazine

The Penelope Show: Lapa Trona out from the shadows

Another page revealed from Lala Drona’s mysterious past!

More and more artists seem to be coming forward and admitting their participation in Lala Drona’s art world journey.  Unlike infamous art-villain Lala Drona, her guardian and mentor Lapa Trona chooses to live a life in the shadows. However, a new episode of The Penelope Show has just been released, guest-starring Lapa Trona for an exclusive interview, revealing more than ever about her once art apprentice, Lala Drona.

Based on a Fact, Penelope, Daytime Television journalist

Experiment 8: Lala feeds Drone #1 to Muse

Lala Drona documents her art experiment.  After a breach of Drone Code, Drone #1 is banished from The Lala World.  His death will not be in vain, as Lala donates his remains to Art!

Reporting on Lala Drona Exhibition 2014

The exhibition “FROM THE BED TO THE LAB” covered by journalist Karim Mouici.

“Retouching is the new censorship,” says Lala

Last night before Paris’ Nuit Blanche (an artistic event that lasts all night once a year) Lala Drona posted a behind the scenes look at the preparation for her performance “Don’t Retouch This.”

Internet Drones everywhere started buzzing and met up with Lala later that night for the debut of the artistic campaign.  She was spotted around Paris asking passer-byes to hold a sign saying “don’t retouch this” over a part of their body they didn’t think was perfect.  The idea was to denounce the unobtainable ideal of perfection the media sells…and to accept ourselves the way we are.

Critics noticed that Lala held the sign in front of her chest almost the entire night.  “Lala has been struggling with the idea of perfection in our society since her breast reconstruction.  This is a part of her journey to self-acceptance,” states Kit Feller, New York art critic.

Onlookers were surprised and animated by the performance.  “I want to do this with my friends,” said Florence Sibot, an onlooker at the Nuit Blanche.  “I think she is might be starting a movement here.”  Since last night’s performance, 20 documented #dontretouchthis videos have been published online.  A good start for the campaign.

Based on a Fact

Convicted of Muse Abuse

Do not pass go, do not collect two-hundred dollars.  News just released of Lala Drona trespassing onto private property while faking a personal tour of the Lala Laboratory.  Lala Drona leads an art laboratory where they run experiments on inspiration development and extraction.  Recently, allegations were brought forward staing that Lala Drona had been conducting unethical experiments on Muses to extract thei inspiration for her artwork; “These experiements could only be described with the word “torture,” stated Lindsay Cullum, investigative journalist.

In response to the allegations, the artist invited journalists to her underground layer to disprove accusations of muse abuse and torture.  However, the property Lala was showing had been a front to deflect the media from her real underground layer.  Embarrassingly enough, the authorities caught Lala in the act (as you can see at the end of the tour video) and arrested her on the spot.  She is rumored to be held on seven accounts of muse abuse and trespassing and could be in prison for up to two months before she is allowed to post bail.  The media are currently working with the authorities to unearth the real location of the Lala Laboratory.

Based on a Fact will be the first to let all of you Drones know when Lala leaves the Slammer, but until then, the website will be frozen until all litigations on such a matter are resolved.

Based on a Fact

Lilia Keppler, legal journalist

Lala gives tour in her defense

To disprove media accusations of muse abuse, Lala invites the press for a personal tour of the Lala Laboratory (just in the first phases of construction).

Sneak Peek of the Lala Laboratory

With construction of the Lala Laboratory underway, Drones everywhere are trying to get a closer look.  Lala releases a video as a sneak peek at what will be the Lala Lab.  Critics say that the notebook in the video represents the Lala Laboratory… all of Lala Drona’s big ideas in the notebook are to be made reality in the Lala Laboratory.  Music The Big Dream by David Lynch.  See more videos by Lala here.