My friend Roy and I had been out all night at Magoo's bar. I forget when they closed I guess around 2:00 am .
Acheans at the Wall, 1979, Gregory Botts
We still had some energy so it was probably before 2:00 and we mosied over to the Rotary at the Holland Tunnel close by, to see the Serra sculpture they were erecting. Anne my dealer at the time had worked for Blum Helman before and had heard from Joe Helman that Richard might be over there making drawings to finance part of it's cost. Another friend Tom was working with Richard and so he might be there too.
It was dark and misty the street lights were making the streaking light through fog that it does often in the early morning.
Roy and I arrived and there was the sculpture, a black curved wall, like a shape out of the Illiad. I was reading it at the time. I picked up a 2 x 4 from the site and hurled it, yelling the "Acheans at the Wall--" As the wooden spear passed my hand, lofting into the air, a nail ripped the palm of my hand. The blood added to the authenticity of the moment.
The 2 x 4 passed over and to the other side.
As we got closer we saw that the footings had not yet been covered up and down in the holes were a couple of rolls of Arches paper and in another an empty bottle of Vodka.
We wondered if they were around but it was obviously very late by now.
We surmised that Tom and another held paper as it curled strongly and Richard drew with thick oil stick, not like he was drawing anything representational though they were arcs, but more the feeling of being there. It was raining slightly and I picked them up
The sculpture was wonderful and it was a sort of identity to me. There was another on Franklin St I think at the same time-- can't remember when this was 1978-9 I'd guess .
It was like a ship passing in the night and one felt its weight like the earth itself revolving. Michael Heizer made some glacier like rock sculpture and it felt slow like that ice of a long time ago. I liked that mythic idea.
We were now sobering up from what seemed a dream.
I had the drawings under my arm and uncharacteristicly I had a nice cordoroy jacket on that now had black all over it. We were walking home only a couple of blocks away.
I went up to my loft and tried taping the drawings to my wall. The Arches paper is hard to keep unfurled and I got tired of fumbling with them, I collapsed into bed.
I peeked at them again in the morning. Wow, yes, oilstick drawings of arcs, about 4 x 6 feet each of about four of them. They weren't signed. After the initial thrill of having them, my feeling drifted to now, how I was saddled with having picked these things up--.
I was over to the Chamberlain loft collecting Angus to go out and mentioned to John that I had these Serra drawings, --"so what kid," was his gruff response, not allowing any sense of interest into his hang over mood.
In those days we were out everynight after doing construction most of the days. We'd start at Fanellis, and make it up to One Fifth Ave, Mickey Ruskin's new bar.
We were up there Angus, Roy, and I, we were everywhere together in that time. I spied Richard in the middle of the dining area with his wife, Clara.
I made my way over to him made brave by the already numerous beers-- and mumbled something, never getting out a description of what I was to want-- Richard abruptly stood up and looked as if he was going to plow me over. This caused quite a stir as everyones attention moved in that direction-- I wasnt a fighter and I backed away.
Julian Schnabel was working in the kitchen and saw all this happen, he came over and steered me over to where my friends Roy and Angus were sitting. He blurted out "How about some burgers," all of a sudden we all were sitting down having a meal on Julian's tab. Well that was those days.
I was probably pretty drunk when I arrived back home that night. Hurt by Chamberlain's non interest and Serra's seeming belligerence-- I thought to join this disinterest and go back to my own work. The drawings loomed there in my loft and just kept me from thinking on anything of my own. I took them down stairs and lent the rolls up against a street pole, not thinking any further, I went back to work.
Acheans at the Wall, 1979, Gregory Botts
We still had some energy so it was probably before 2:00 and we mosied over to the Rotary at the Holland Tunnel close by, to see the Serra sculpture they were erecting. Anne my dealer at the time had worked for Blum Helman before and had heard from Joe Helman that Richard might be over there making drawings to finance part of it's cost. Another friend Tom was working with Richard and so he might be there too.
It was dark and misty the street lights were making the streaking light through fog that it does often in the early morning.
Roy and I arrived and there was the sculpture, a black curved wall, like a shape out of the Illiad. I was reading it at the time. I picked up a 2 x 4 from the site and hurled it, yelling the "Acheans at the Wall--" As the wooden spear passed my hand, lofting into the air, a nail ripped the palm of my hand. The blood added to the authenticity of the moment.
The 2 x 4 passed over and to the other side.
As we got closer we saw that the footings had not yet been covered up and down in the holes were a couple of rolls of Arches paper and in another an empty bottle of Vodka.
We wondered if they were around but it was obviously very late by now.
We surmised that Tom and another held paper as it curled strongly and Richard drew with thick oil stick, not like he was drawing anything representational though they were arcs, but more the feeling of being there. It was raining slightly and I picked them up
The sculpture was wonderful and it was a sort of identity to me. There was another on Franklin St I think at the same time-- can't remember when this was 1978-9 I'd guess .
It was like a ship passing in the night and one felt its weight like the earth itself revolving. Michael Heizer made some glacier like rock sculpture and it felt slow like that ice of a long time ago. I liked that mythic idea.
We were now sobering up from what seemed a dream.
I had the drawings under my arm and uncharacteristicly I had a nice cordoroy jacket on that now had black all over it. We were walking home only a couple of blocks away.
I went up to my loft and tried taping the drawings to my wall. The Arches paper is hard to keep unfurled and I got tired of fumbling with them, I collapsed into bed.
I peeked at them again in the morning. Wow, yes, oilstick drawings of arcs, about 4 x 6 feet each of about four of them. They weren't signed. After the initial thrill of having them, my feeling drifted to now, how I was saddled with having picked these things up--.
I was over to the Chamberlain loft collecting Angus to go out and mentioned to John that I had these Serra drawings, --"so what kid," was his gruff response, not allowing any sense of interest into his hang over mood.
In those days we were out everynight after doing construction most of the days. We'd start at Fanellis, and make it up to One Fifth Ave, Mickey Ruskin's new bar.
We were up there Angus, Roy, and I, we were everywhere together in that time. I spied Richard in the middle of the dining area with his wife, Clara.
I made my way over to him made brave by the already numerous beers-- and mumbled something, never getting out a description of what I was to want-- Richard abruptly stood up and looked as if he was going to plow me over. This caused quite a stir as everyones attention moved in that direction-- I wasnt a fighter and I backed away.
Julian Schnabel was working in the kitchen and saw all this happen, he came over and steered me over to where my friends Roy and Angus were sitting. He blurted out "How about some burgers," all of a sudden we all were sitting down having a meal on Julian's tab. Well that was those days.
I was probably pretty drunk when I arrived back home that night. Hurt by Chamberlain's non interest and Serra's seeming belligerence-- I thought to join this disinterest and go back to my own work. The drawings loomed there in my loft and just kept me from thinking on anything of my own. I took them down stairs and lent the rolls up against a street pole, not thinking any further, I went back to work.
