James Franco to Debut Solo Art Show

Hollywood heartthrob turned avant-garde artist James Franco is slated to exhibit his first art show in New York’s Clocktower Gallery on June 23. Franco’s forays into many and varied artistic pursuits have aroused suspicion, leading some to question whether the actor has more than a dilettante’s interest in his endeavors. Best known for his roles in Spider-Man and Tropic Thunder, Franco is more wary of this stigma than anyone. “His art show—,” writes The Wall Street Journal “with its seal of approval from Ms. Heiss, the grand dame of New York's avant-garde art scene, and its non-commercial, inconspicuous venue—is an effort to legitimize his outré interests.” The exhibition is called The Dangerous Book For Boys and focuses primarily on “boyhood and the ‘sexual confusion’ of adolescence.” The show will include Franco’s sculpture, photography, drawing, and film and will be curated by Alanna Heiss, the founder and former director of P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center.