"The Olsen twins hiding from paparazzi" exhibit is the best thing that is ever happened
2016-03-11
Walking this fine line between ironic and earnest praise of the past is difficult to navigate without wobbling to either side, but Brooklyn comedians Matt Harkins and Viviana Olen have so far, been able to stay the course.
Their THNK 1994 Museum (existing in their Williamsburg apartment) has so far offered up one of the most genuinely funny attractions in the five boroughs last year: their Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding exhibit, where the two performers (and roommates) guided people through a hallway of photos, art, and other memorabilia of the doomed rival Olympic skaters.
The project was a success—raising $2,000 with a Kickstarter, and a bombardment of press. Now, the pair is offering up an even bolder premise: “Olsen Twins Hiding From the Paparazzi,” an exhibit filled with paintings of the the legendary twins -you guessed it - hiding from the paparazzi.
“Seeing a GIF of a young Olsen twin from [Full House] doesn’t do anything for me,” Harkins says over the phone — who admits that he never watched the ‘80s/’90s family TV staple as a kid. “But when I see a photo of one of them hiding from the camera behind a gigantic purse, I’m moved.”
“We only chatted in the apartment for 45 minutes,” Harkins says, “but the idea was born.”
The Kickstarter hopes to raise $9,500 for the entire store-front exhibit, and with 2 weeks left to go, they’re likely to reach it.
Matt Harkins and Viviana Olen