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James Franco is a Jack of all trades. 

The guy is an actor, student, teacher, director and now he’s a visual artist. In order to help kick off the opening of CoSTUME NATIONAL’s Soho location in New York City, Franco created a 40 minute video simply titled “40 Minutes.” The video is based on the controversial 1980 film Cruising, in which Al Pacino plays a cop gone undercover in New York’s gay leather-bar scene.  His piece reimagines the 40 minutes of the film that were cut and never screened after a battle with the National Board of Review to secure an R rating.

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James was not the only person contributing to the gallery-like retail location; the exhibit, CoSTUME NATIONAL’s “NEW NO DARK WAVE,” opened to the public this week and includes works by Tobias Wong, Frédéric Beigbeder, Aaron Young, James Franco and Daniel Firman.

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“I am so glad to become a contemporary artist, now I have an excuse for being so weird,” James Franco stated.

James also worked on a second piece for CoSTUME NATIONAL’s “NEW NO DARK WAVE” where he dresses in drag.

“Drag is very liberating, we’re all just putting on costumes and playing our parts. It’s nice to play other parts than what’s expected.”

You can take a look at some of the stills from both of James Franco’s short films for CoSTUME NATIONAL’s “NEW NO DARK WAVE” below.

James Franco, New Film Still #58, 2012. 

James Franco, New Film Still #42, 2012. 

James Franco and Travis Mathews, James Franco’s 40 Minutes, 2012. 

Daniel Firman’s Linda

Frédéric Beigbeder, Interaction, 2012

Photo Credits: Interview Magazine