Andy Warhol was oft quoted for one astute observation.
"Everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes," he smugly announced to a disbelieving posse of media hounds way back when in the heady days of his creative heyday.
Today, the thought resonates in every fibre of the being - in an era where global news networks and a glut of reality-TV shows - are now a testament to the man's insight, vision, and genius.
Golly, with one simple soupcan, Warhol - the manic multi-media artist with the shock of platinum hair - managed to utter up a mind-bending (enlightening) message about the vulgarity of consumerism in one fell swoop.
With his penetrating all-seeing lens, the die-hard New Yorker (zany founder of the infamous film Factory in mid-Manhattan) captured images on celluloid that would touch, disturb, and inspire generations to come.
Now, a series of polaroids Warhol was commissioned to photograph in the late seventies and early eighties for an avid collector Richard Weisman (a good friend) are on exhibit at the Danziger Projects in New York.
The stills of the well-known athletes at the top of their game became known as the "Sport Series".
During the course of the session, Warhol took three shots, as he was interacting with his subject.
All three captures have been artfully included in the exhibit with the ultimate aim of shedding some insightful light on the Pop Artist's thought-provoking creative process.
After-the-fact - each image was silkscreened to canvas - and subseqeuntly became the basis for a full-fledged painting.
The tiny images of the athletes - Wayne Gretzky, Mohammed Ali, O.J. Simpson, to name a few - are described as "pure" in nature by excited art-lovers who have caught the show in recent days.
No mean feat, when you can consider that each subject was at the height of their powers, when they granted audience to the notorious madcap artist
To accomplish that end, Warhol facilitated a Big Shot camera in a studio setting without alot of high tech equipment or gimmicky lighting (which would have been the kiss of death in my estimation).
According to the curator at the Danziger, in the final analysis, Warhol's polaroids are both a celebration of the greatness of the athletes and an intriguing look at the cleverness of the facade of Warhol so often used to disguise the intelligence and innovation of his work.
Our paths crossed briefly out-of-the-blue one day, shortly after I alighted in New York, to pursue an acting career on stage.
Our paths crossed briefly out-of-the-blue one day, shortly after I alighted in New York, to pursue an acting career on stage.
One day I strolled into the 10th Circle (a local watering hole) in the West Village.
On the heels of plunking myself down, and ordering up a brewskie, I swung around on my stool to get a gander at the patrons chug-a-lugging around me.
On the heels of plunking myself down, and ordering up a brewskie, I swung around on my stool to get a gander at the patrons chug-a-lugging around me.
Behind dark glasses the fey Warhol peered my way - and I his.
Then, we both sauntered on our merry way!
Then, we both sauntered on our merry way!
No chemistry, I guess.
Well, I confess!
Helmut was pretty masculine (I was just pretty).
Curiously, I ended up being cast in an off-off-Broadway show titled "The Magic Hype", which was a spoof on the Warhol film characters (with a big focus on Holly Woodlawn and Candy Darling).
Well, I confess!
Helmut was pretty masculine (I was just pretty).
The wild musical comedy - performed by the "Hot Peaches" troupe - was primarily written and directed by founder "Jimmy Camicia".
During the run of the show, Warhol star - Jackie Curtis - popped in to catch the zany fly-by-your-panties production.
In contrast to Andy Darling, Jackie and I hit it off famously.
In fact, at a New Year's Celebration later that year, we orchestrated a tea-for-two number that brought down the house.
In a post last year, I penned my memoires of Ms. Curtis and the auspicious event.
Post: 11/28/07
http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2007/11/jackie-curtiswarhol-star-on-edge.html
Once I left the "Big Apple", I lost touch with Jimmy Camicia, though.
But, want to hear something astounding?
A few months ago Jimmy was cruising the Internet when he unexpectedly stumbled on my blog & the post published on Jackie.
Needless to say, Jimmy zipped off an e-mail to catch up, and we've been in touch since.
In fact, the director with the wicked wit and deep creative well, just informed me that he's been tooling around with his "Hot Peaches" website.
OMG!
Jimmy actually dragged out an old publicity still I'm featured in which captured moi in a slinky silver sheath-of-a-dress (if you can actually call it that!), silk stockings, wild "do", and a smattering of make-up.
Darn it!
Just knew that the Hot Peaches stint in NYC would come back to haunt me!
Oh well, I have a good sense of humor.
Gobble it up, why don't you?
Info: http://www.hotpeachesnyc.com
By the way, Happy Turkey Day!
Warhol at the creative helm!
Jackie six feet under sans panties!
