Saturday, May 29, 2004
Recent Letters reading at The Fabric Workshop
Last Thursday May 20th was my birthday and also the occasion of a reading for my newly published book Letters to Ernesto Neto.
A few notes of thanks to the friends and everyone who came out (about 70 people!) to the reading and to The Philadelphia Weekly for spotlighting the event PW A-list, and to The Fabric Workshop & Museum for hosting the event surrounded by Ernesto's sculpture "The Garden."
The biggest thanks go to Macgregor Card of Germ Folios, who published the book; artist Nicole Michels who designed the book; and to Tricia Treacy and Pointed Press who made the beautiful letterpress cover.
Thanks also to Ernesto Neto, who wrote a frank and generous afterword.
The book is a collection of over thirty letters I wrote to Neto during a two week period when I worked as a guard for his exhibition "Only the Amoebas Are Happy," at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery in New York City in the spring 2001.
--TD
Here is one of the letters:
Friday May 11, 2001
3:10 PM
Dear Ernesto,
If the gallery visitors do not see the sign on the wall to remove their shoes and wear the surgical blue shoes sock covers, then I ask them to put them on. The socks, worn to protect the piece from dirty socks and feet, are also referred to as booties. Some people really love them. Some take them with them when they go; some say it will remind them of the show. One woman told me (and this is probably news to you) that if she didn't wear the booties she would somehow be missing part of the show.
One chatty fellow in his early 60's, referring to the socks, asked if I had "Anything in brown? Anything in Oxford,?" I told him, "No. Today we have the blue." He said, "How about the blue then." Another said, "I'd love to remove my shoes, but don't breath too deeply if I do." I did not.
sitting next to, not walking in another's shoes, Thomas
A few notes of thanks to the friends and everyone who came out (about 70 people!) to the reading and to The Philadelphia Weekly for spotlighting the event PW A-list, and to The Fabric Workshop & Museum for hosting the event surrounded by Ernesto's sculpture "The Garden."
The biggest thanks go to Macgregor Card of Germ Folios, who published the book; artist Nicole Michels who designed the book; and to Tricia Treacy and Pointed Press who made the beautiful letterpress cover.
Thanks also to Ernesto Neto, who wrote a frank and generous afterword.
The book is a collection of over thirty letters I wrote to Neto during a two week period when I worked as a guard for his exhibition "Only the Amoebas Are Happy," at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery in New York City in the spring 2001.
--TD
Here is one of the letters:
Friday May 11, 2001
3:10 PM
Dear Ernesto,
If the gallery visitors do not see the sign on the wall to remove their shoes and wear the surgical blue shoes sock covers, then I ask them to put them on. The socks, worn to protect the piece from dirty socks and feet, are also referred to as booties. Some people really love them. Some take them with them when they go; some say it will remind them of the show. One woman told me (and this is probably news to you) that if she didn't wear the booties she would somehow be missing part of the show.
One chatty fellow in his early 60's, referring to the socks, asked if I had "Anything in brown? Anything in Oxford,?" I told him, "No. Today we have the blue." He said, "How about the blue then." Another said, "I'd love to remove my shoes, but don't breath too deeply if I do." I did not.
sitting next to, not walking in another's shoes, Thomas
