Dirty Hands: The Art & Crimes of David Choe on AllMovie

An outlaw artist whose violent, phantasmagoric, and unapologetically sexual work is both highly controversial and deeply challenging, David Choe rose from notorious street artist and porn-magazine illustrator to prolific painter, muralist, and graphic artist -- but his evolution from underground tagger to art-world darling was just about the farthest thing from a smooth ride imaginable. Los Angeles-based artist Choe lives his life as unrestrained as humanly possible, and while that's a truly unique way to find inspiration, it can make life somewhat difficult at times -- in addition to serving multiple jail sentences and battling addiction, Choe has also wrestled pygmies in the heart of the Congo and gone hunting for dinosaurs. Recorded by Choe's best friend Harry Kim over the course of seven years, this documentary offers an unguarded profile of an artist who lives his life as most folks only wish they could.