Trickster

Sometimes I feel 1:11 PM is such a long minute, it works for a lot of things besides lunch. On this particular occasion it served as contemplation. Janie and I, and her cohort created a labor of love, and, how could I describe this style? Japanese graphics enhance almost anything. Not that I´m underestimating what I did but still we managed to continue modern pop art, and it was dipped in more acid. Her abuse of naïve schoolgirls took me back to the times when pin-up girls were something else. They didn´t look degrading, they were powerful. M inked it carefully and on top of that I scribbled like any child would when they can get their hands on their first box of crayons.

But that was just a warm up. The real deal was to display our talent in a building located on Mercer Street, which was not so far away from my studio loft. We continued the spirit of such movements such as Wooster Collective; I had a thing for street art as well, that's why I had such a wide fan base. One time it occurred to me, while I was still at school to make stickers in the shape of a zoomorphic character leaping with the infinite symbol on its back. The style has changed over the years but the idea remains the same. At first nobody quite got the message. So later we decided to drench ourselves in fake blood or red paint but just the part of the shoulders. And on top of that I included the phrase on any available wall down in Spring Street: "Mauvais garçon du Mercer Street". While it became amusing to some, it was paganism to others. We scared the shit out of some people on Halloween.

As I mentioned in an interview a while ago if I ever painted things like that they would hang me and now you know. Even if this town might seem highly unconventional I found a way to make it more shocking.  The events of the last decade reshaped our city in such an interesting way as we realized if we had gone a little bit way too far and for a while art had a cause and everyone I turned all I ever wanted was some answers. So then the 11 was now a symbol of what we lost; an open wound. Even I lamented the fact that Miro´s artwork was destroyed in the process.


I always saw a great deal of him in me, then again some poorly illustrated people would say, “you´re no Picasso, but it´s sure pretty,” as if he were the gauge for modern art. Couldn´t there be anyone higher than him? Did we reach perfection and we weren´t aware of it, then why are we still there doing what we´re doing? Well, I could tell you; he dug a hole someone already started like Braque but and they made it bigger and louder. Thus, its immensity attracts others. We all want a piece of it; it´s something even greater than money or fame or other fancy things. And while he may not have invented Cubism alone it´s still an idea for anyone bold enough to embrace it. I guess I borrowed some of Janie´s words in the previous sentence. So tonight I do hope we make this a bigger, louder meaner rabbit hole.

Edith arrived just in time. she was all wrapped up like a present in a rather baby pink scarf I could only see her blue eyes peeking. I heavily encouraged her to come since this is the moment she can see me in my full splendor. She was somewhat shy about these sorts of events, that´s why I called her cynically “my non-artistic follower”, but most of my friends and colleagues knew she managed to blend in somehow.

YOU LOOK MORE RADIANT NOW…

“Do I?” I said. With so many activities going on I hardly noticed that; a hidden strength I suppose, mmm…Strength.

OF COURSE I´LL COME WITH YOU; IT´S SO INCREDIBLE THAT YOU GET TO WORK WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES, I GUESS.

“And that´s the beauty of this town. The more I get involved with it the more they cherish my art. But quite honestly, Feivel insists that I should strongly consider taking our business to Chelsea, gotta move on.