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A review by ste3ve_b1rd
Xero: Turn-Of-the-Millenia, Zero by L. A Ruocco
5.0
I will also use the term Psychedelic to describe "Xero", it definitely applies here, in both a creepy Brian De Palma "Sisters" kind of way, and also in a manner that evokes the graphic and flying-high humour of R. Crumb/Frank Zappa/Jefferson Airplane. This Coffee-Table Book with fantastic shiny silver cover amounts to a vomiting of Self-Expression, unexpurgated, not necessarily trying to make Sense as it grapples with profound issues either seriously or ridiculously. "Xero" can be funny, innocent, silly, disturbing and theoretically advanced in its exploration of the dual-edged nature of reality .......... The Good, The Ugly, The Bad and the Beautiful. How does one successfully cage the Child Beast that rages within the Adult? Maybe by writing "Xero" and letting those stream-of-consciousness impressions flow out literally and surrealistically (pillow) without over thinking them.
I will also apply the moniker of Performance Art; "Xero" is Performance Art, in its most Elevated yet Debased rendering, in that the artist uses herself as the Object. L. A. Ruocco describes and comments on the works of art she has made, while Being/Becoming those works of art herself. Case in point: (1) the author becomes "Plastic Laruocco", a Glam Rock "Action Figure-Doll"; (2) she observes her Painting of Her-Self while being Her-Self as a Person Who has been Painted. One page of the book (Cafe Ejaculate, page 130) simply states ".......... it's like going to the supermarket for a carton of Jumbo eggs & checking if they're okay .........." in the poison-pen letter fonts that are utilized generously in this work. In essence, "Xero" battles between Chaos and Clarity, by means of mathematically formulated Beatnik musings a la Jean Michel Basquiat, that dissect various concepts of God and Faith (to quote L. A. Ruocco on page 19, "if there is a God, I want to buy Low and sell [H:]igh"). All the while being interspersed with L. A. Ruocco showing off her Ass, while making jokes about Her Objectified Ass and The Objectified Ass (Self vs. Other) and being Sexy/Grotesque Her-Self. This book redefines Unique and it's unfortunate that there aren't more books of this kind, especially in the USA, but then the rarity of "Xero" is what makes it special.
I will also apply the moniker of Performance Art; "Xero" is Performance Art, in its most Elevated yet Debased rendering, in that the artist uses herself as the Object. L. A. Ruocco describes and comments on the works of art she has made, while Being/Becoming those works of art herself. Case in point: (1) the author becomes "Plastic Laruocco", a Glam Rock "Action Figure-Doll"; (2) she observes her Painting of Her-Self while being Her-Self as a Person Who has been Painted. One page of the book (Cafe Ejaculate, page 130) simply states ".......... it's like going to the supermarket for a carton of Jumbo eggs & checking if they're okay .........." in the poison-pen letter fonts that are utilized generously in this work. In essence, "Xero" battles between Chaos and Clarity, by means of mathematically formulated Beatnik musings a la Jean Michel Basquiat, that dissect various concepts of God and Faith (to quote L. A. Ruocco on page 19, "if there is a God, I want to buy Low and sell [H:]igh"). All the while being interspersed with L. A. Ruocco showing off her Ass, while making jokes about Her Objectified Ass and The Objectified Ass (Self vs. Other) and being Sexy/Grotesque Her-Self. This book redefines Unique and it's unfortunate that there aren't more books of this kind, especially in the USA, but then the rarity of "Xero" is what makes it special.