Crotch Music

A performance "composed by Jim McWilliams" in which performer Charlotte Moorman attaches objects to the pants of men in the audience. Performed as part of the Women's Video Festival at The Kitchen on September 30, 1973.

00:05Copy video clip URL Shridar Bapat stands at video editing decks. Charlotte Moorman walks behind him carrying a cello wrapped in cloth. She unwraps the sheets to reveal a cello covered in balloons, strings, microphones, and toys. Audio feedback from the cello. Moorman takes a photo of the cello and begins setting up the microphones. 

04:27Copy video clip URL Moorman begins attaching items that she removes from the cello to the crotches of male audience members, bringing them up to the front of the room. She attaches a light to the pants of an audience member and brings him up to the front of the room. 

06:32Copy video clip URL Moorman approaches Nam June Paik and attaches a portable radio to his pants and brings him up. Paik playfully pours a little water from his cup on Moorman’s head. 

08:24Copy video clip URL Moorman attaches a baby doll the pants of  an audience member.

10:04Copy video clip URL Moorman attaches a toy banjo to the pants of Davidson Gigliotti. 

11:20Copy video clip URL Moorman ties an aerosol spray can to Andy Mann’s pants with a ribbon.

13:30Copy video clip URL Moorman pins a long tube inside the zipper of another audience member. 

15:20Copy video clip URL Moorman attaches a balloon to the pants of Bill Etra. 

17:19Copy video clip URL Moorman attaches a long tube to the pants of Skip Blumberg. The camera pans across the audience as Moorman brings up Bart Friedman and attaches an object to his pants at the front of the room. The camera pans across the men at the front of the room. 

20:22Copy video clip URL Moorman attaches objects to the pants of Shalom Gorewitz. 

23:20Copy video clip URL Moorman attaches an object to another audience member’s pants. Views of the audience as Moorman detaches another object from her cello. 

26:10Copy video clip URL Moorman places the object in the pants of another audience member. 

27:30Copy video clip URL Moorman attaches a banana to the pants of another audience member. 

28:30Copy video clip URL Moorman attaches another tube to an audience member’s pants. 

30:10Copy video clip URL Moorman removes a party hat from the cello and places it in the pants of another audience member. 

32:40Copy video clip URL Moorman removes a flashlight from the cello and places it in another audience member’s pants. 

34:15Copy video clip URL Moorman goes to the back of the room to put a flute in the pants of an audience member. 

36:30Copy video clip URL Moorman pulls down the pants of Jim McWilliams, the “composer of the piece,” and ties a tube to his penis. The audience and performers clap as Moorman acknowledges McWilliams. Moorman photographs line of men at the front of the room. 

40:40Copy video clip URL Moorman asks the men to “give me your penises” and they return the objects she attached to them.