mutterings and ravings no. 11
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 15:55:34 -0800
Sender: Bibliofind News and Views <NEWS@BIBLIO.BIBLIOFIND.COM>
From: Harry Nudel <nudel-soho@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject: muttering & ravings & Ray Johonson, Holly Solomon & Mrs. Viacom
I told L (only half jokingly) that it was bad 'nough that i was
'expert' at art books..didn't actually want to see the stuff...was
Physically Ill by time finished the Ray Johnson at the Whitney (Thur.
nite..free to me&you}...Johnson was an indifferent dadaist..a mediocre
collagist...a bland provacateur...and the hope of the NYARTSCENE that would
grasp at any vanishing straw..to generate some $$$ & interest....When the waves of nausea resided..kept wondering if the free
press would let me write...Ray Johnson's show proves again that SUICIDE is
the best career move of the mediocre..N.B. sylvia plath..basquiat....I knew
some of the owners of this expensive Junk...two booksellers in the
nabe..and was envious like hell that they were 'going to make some much $$$
off this...it also brougt to mind a Conversation i had with Holly Solomon
'bout six month ago (she was going thru a bitter divorce) that her HUSBAND
wanted some of her letters as part of the settlement (whose letters) yup
'em Ray J's....Holly came over & bought a bunch of books (Noblesse Oblige) since
i knew (it was public info..in the ny times..) that she had donated most of
her books to NYPUBLICLIB..i knew this was a social call...& as such calls
go with reminiscing,bull sh-tting & impressing the co...i showed her the
JOe Brainard i bought from Flee for $15..and she went on,on...I showed her
some Brainard..and she sd she PUBLISHED it...gave her a copy since she now
didn't have one .Reverse Nobless Oblige...and she sez "oh i knew TED
BERRIGAN, HE WENT TO JAIL," I look blank..and we ascertain after 10 minutes
of muttering around the subject that she think of the BERRIGAN BROS...Sweet
old lady time is just memory minus the details..Poor Ted suicided in the
express Lane of Life..mon frere..semblable..(me i'm a retired poet)Ray J...was a genius at generating free publicity....not as good as
Andy but not everyone can be an OLd Master..for years under the rubric of
Correspondence Art he bombarded every important critic and dealer daily
with his junk..free publicity via USPO....by the end he was doing profiles
of Dory Ashton..oh my how low the artist will grovel..me i'm good at
staying home & watching TV..which is why i'm retired...(goin' back to
bed..my c.p. which is 10 mins slow.. sez 3:47..) more on Mrs. Viacom next
time..& for those of you who are listening to this FREE PUBLICITY..may all
yr dreams of the snows of yesteryear be white...Dr n.
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