[Dear readers, we are publishing the essays of the 16 finalists in the New Art Writing Challenge Contest on Artblog and the St. Claire! Today, we publish the finalists in the category of “500 words or less“. Thanks to all those who participated and submitted more than 70 articles. And thanks to our jurors–Hrag Vartanian, Abigail Satinsky, and Nell McClister–who picked the winners. We are energized by all the wonderful writing that was submitted, and know you will enjoy reading it! — the Artblog editors]
Finalists in category: 500 words or less
Neyssa Grassi: Foreign Language
By Scott Cooper
(Ed. note: See images of Neysa Grassi’s work here.)
You are in a club full of attractive people, colored lights, and fog. I don’t why you are there because being there diverges from your itinerary, but I approve. Shake my hand. You get turned on.
Across the room you can see the contour of a body that you find particularly attractive. The noisy bass slowly fades as you slowly push the pulsating bodies out of your periphery, slowly honing in on this foggy phantasm. You flirt with the idea of crossing the room, passing through the colorful haze, pushing through the wet, writhing bodies, to talk with the owner of the contour. You can see yourself taking them home when the club closes, maybe taking shots of your cheap 18 dollar whisky (and three cheers to spontaneity), having sloppy sex before you pass out in this strangers arms. It is possible that your post coital conversation, before you fell into dream, could create a deeper affinity with them beyond base superficial attractions (and you could go to brunch tomorrow at 1 pm). However, you hesitate because you realize you wouldn’t even know how to start a conversation in the first place. Maybe you are past the point of finding romance in clouded rooms. Regardless, you probably will buy another expensive drink and admire this beautiful form from afar.
A/S/L?
26/male/Philadelphia.
Weak online presence.
Very skeptical/very curious.
scottcooperinternet.wordpress.com
