Must?


Jerry Saltz recommended Christian Marclay's video in the listing section of New York Magazine this week. In about 50 words he described the piece [I can do it in 33:  Marclay did a tour de force clip job and pieced together movie fragments that tick off every minute of the day in a video that is shown in synch with the actual time]. Saltz ended his description by calling it a "must see" piece. My issue with this piece and most concept pieces is: if they can be described thoroughly enough so that you get the whole schtick in 50 words or fewer, what in all that makes the piece a "must see" or even a "see"?

It would, however, be cool to play it instead of having a clock in your home

To be fair, I feel this way about many books [novels, non-fiction and academic tomes alike] and most films which are often sold on one line concepts. Once you know the premises of these works [people in Brooklyn have feelings,  poverty is bad, Jennifer Aniston needs another paycheck], you can pretty much posit their entire  scope and obviate the need to experience them.