"This durational film features no tuneful audio—only the pathetic clicks and twangs produced by the plastic guitar controller can be heard as Ford plays his way through all 39 solo career songs in the Guitar Hero III game. One critic described Hit Me With Your Best Shot as being “like Cage's 4′33 for the video game generation.
In the sixteen week run up to Christmas 2008, Ford launched a participatory project in direct relation to this video work. Entitled HMWYBS Mystery Tracks, video clips of individual 'songs' were published on YouTube weekly and viewers were invited to guess which track was being played"
Hit Me With Your Best Shot (2008)
Installation view of Hit Me With Your Best Shot (2008) James R Ford, at Paul Nache Gallery, Gisborne (2014)
Other works by James R Ford
James R Ford
Cat Collar 2 - One Night In Brixton (2008)
The view from a modified camera on a cat's collar, accompanied by the soundtrack from an infamous Paris Hilton internet video.
Related exhibition review
Hit Me with Your Best Shot
Hit Me with Your Best Shot
Exhibition review
Guest bloggers Louisa Afoa and Lana Lopesi from #500 words—young criticality on art and culture respond to Janet Lilo's recent show at The Physics Room, Hit me with your best shot.