Joan Rivers’ funeral today was filled with surprises and disappointments. The surprises were the great wonderful celebs that showed up on a moment’s notice, many by foot sauntering up 5th Avenue! I was 1st row behind the reporters but they …were all on ladders and mostly barricaded a good camera shot, but between the elbows and butts I saw:
To think I saw in one hour: Kathy Griffin (very shaken) and Rosie O’Donnell arrive together, Howard Stern, Judge Judy!!, Rachel Ray, Andy Cohen (by foot, one of the few to wave to the crowd), Geraldo, Barbara Walters, Michael Kors, Ivanka Trump walking up 5th, Carolina Herrera, Donald Trump (by limo), Sarah Jessica Parker who you could see kept saying “amazing, amazing” with a big broad smile, Whoopi Goldberg (in tears) coming on foot from around the corner, columnist Cindy Adams, reporter Deborah Norville, Letterman’s Paul Shaffer, Joy Behar very upset, Marlo Thomas and husband Phil Donahue walking hand in hand up 5th, Glenn Close (she’s tiny!), Hugh Jackman and Audra McDonald who both sang in the service, Wanda Sykes, Hoda and Kathie Lee arriving in same car, Dr. Oz, singer Judy Collins, Clive Davis, the complete cast of Fashion Police including Giuliana Rancic, and Kelly Osbourne looking fabulous in her purple meticulously curled mohawk hairdo. The only photo I got was Whoopi and Ivanka 😦
The Gay Men’s Chorus sang “There’s Nothing Like a Dame.”
The disappointments: NO red carpet or craft services! WTF?! That was exactly what Joan had requested! Biggest disappointment of all – NO Meryl Streep. The least she could have done was to send in a tape of her “crying in five different accents.”At least my friend Susan Godwin was there to show support from animal and dog lovers and me making it clear I was saying ‘thank you’ for her support of the gay community her entire career long. Thank you Joan.
Best quote from the service: Howard Stern paid tribute to his friend, joking, “I hope Joan is somewhere chasing Johnny Carson with a baseball bat,” and added, “Joan was a best friend for the world.”
See More
Butts n elbows
Ivanka Trump
September 7, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: Barbara Walters, celebrities, Donald Trump, entertainment, fans show up for Joan Rivers funeral, floral tribute to Joan Rivers, Hans Von Rittern, Howard Stern, Ivanka Trump, Joan Rivers, Joan Rivers funeral, Manhattan, Michael Kors, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, Rosie O’Donnell, Sarah Jessica Parker, Temple Emanu-El, whoopi goldberg | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: Paying my respects to Joan Rivers. How could I not leave flowers for a woman who fought for AIDS funding before it was popular? Who worked in ‘Gods Name We Deliver’s soup kitchen and made the meals, and surprised some homebound guests by delivering them personally. Who fought for gay rights and equal rights? Whose NYC comedy club appearance proceeds all went to charity? I left a rainbow colored assortment of roses for Joan & Melissa, thanking them both.
Joan Rivers – a true New Yawker. Brash, bold, in your face, a fighter and . . . she made it. Living on 5th Avenue. Still relevant at 81. Gone way to soon, New York will be a sadder and emptier place without her. “Can we talk?”
September 5, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: 'Gods Name We Deliver, 1 East 62nd Street, a true New Yorker Joan Rivers, AIDS charity work by Joan Rivers, celebrities, entertainment, floral tribute to Joan Rivers, gay rights, Hans Von Rittern, Joan Rivers, Joan Rivers dead at 81, Melissa Rivers, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: INGRID BERGMAN DIES – This was the startling headline New Yorkers were greeted with on August 30, 1982. Bergman had died at the young age of 67 in a London hospital of breast cancer leaving us with incredible memories of “Casablanca” and “Gaslight”. I had spent a wonderful evening alone with her ten years earlier in 1972 at the Ethel Barrymore Theater as she was appearing in the play “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion.” I just gazed at her as we talked. Her face had not changed, her voice was exactly the same, her eyes still sparkled. I was so mesmerized realizing I was looking into the actual eyes of Ilsa Lund….
August 29, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "Gaslight", Bergman dies of breast cancer, breast cancer, Captain Brassbound's Conversion, Casablanca, celebrities, Ethel Barrymore Theater, Hans Von Rittern, Ilsa Lund, ingrid bergman, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, New York Post headline, New York Post vintage newspaper, Photo of the day, photography, the Ethel Barrymore Theater | Leave a comment
Marilyn Monroe June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962: the ethereal eternal beauty.
This stunning painting is one of my treasures by friend and artist See Tf.
August 5, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: 5 Pointz, arts, Carlos "See TF" Game, celebrities, graffiti art, Hans Von Rittern, Marilyn Monroe, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, reflective Marilyn Monroe, sad Marilyn Monroe | 1 Comment
HAPPY
SUMMER !
June 22, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: Archie "Slow woe", Archie 1977, Archie beach bikini girl, Archie comics, Archie on the beach, arts, beach, cartoon pinup girl, celebrities, Fawcett comics, Hans Von Rittern, Photo of the day | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: MM = MACY*S + MARILYN – As part of department store Macy*s current Americana theme, the flagship store in Herald Square has been decorated with giant banners of what they feel is ‘Americana’. Mount Rushmore, hot dogs, apple pie, the American flag and…Marilyn, the eternal all American girl!
America = the Grand Canyon, light houses and Marilyn!
June 17, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: all American girl Marilyn, American flag, arts, Broadway, celebrities, department store, entertainment, Hans Von Rittern, Macy's, Macy's Americana, Macy's banner, Macy's flagship store Herald Square, Macy's Herald Square, Macy's store window, Manhattan, Marilyn Monroe, Mount Rushmore, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography | Leave a comment
Harvey Fierstein & Hans Von Rittern and Casa Susanna/Valentina
Photo of the day: HARVEY FIERSTEIN AND HANS SEE “CASA VALENTINA” TOGETHER – well….kinda…
Harvey came to see his show last night and I was sitting right near him.
THE SHOW IS FUCKING BRILLIANT! It is based on a cult book “Casa Susanna” which contains flea market find photos of women in the Catskills in 1962 – the women were men. Not drag queens, but men who simply had the desire to express their feminine side on the weekend and go on doing ordinary household chores leading an ordinary life for two days…as a ‘ordinary’ woman. All were married with children. It is not sensationalist Fierstein drag. It is a dramedy of social mores and sexual politics of the sixties,
To be very honest – I didn’t want to see this play. I thought,’who are you to further expose what was to have been private?”
My mother has always said to me, “please destroy all family pictures if there is no one left in your family. I don’t want to wind up in some flea market and have total stranger pawing over my photos and doing god knows what with them.” I sadly agree. So I felt, who is Harvey to do this – how is he to know what really these people were about and what went on, sorry theater fans, this is how I felt. Yet the book haunted and fascinated me of the sadness yet sensation of this secret world revealed. Reluctantly I bought the cheapest discount ticket possible. I brought my treasured copy of the book along with me.
Almost full house. Curtain rises. I am sitting there with arms folded, negative Nancy. ‘Ok, what did you do with this?’ After 5 minutes I was riveted. The visuals, the acting – breathtaking. I abandoned all doubt and negativity and realized I was watching something intensely personal and brilliant. Half way though act one, I kept thinking to myself, ‘where and how did Harvey come up with this, how did this come out of his head?’ Each actor is cast to perfection for the part. I flipped through my book trying to guess who was who. After a while it didn’t seem to matter, there were real people onstage.
It’s story is of intrigue, mystery, politics, raw emotions, sharp wit, great humor, 1960’s sexual politics, being exposed, homophobia, buried secrets, gut wrenching moments, great sets, superb lighting. Mare Winningham and Reed Birney are FUCKING BRILLIANT! Birney channels Margo Channing/All About Eve yet does not imitate her, it is her fiery essence – it is riveting sheer brilliance at what a strong determined (calculating) woman he portrays. He should have won the damn Tony award he was nominated for as best actor in a play. Mare’s voice projects to the upper balcony even in her most quiet sad moments – that’s technique! (They were not micked.) John Collum is everyone’s grandmother of the period.
The setting is the Chevalier d’Eon, a Catskills resort where button-down married men from the city can slip into something more comfortable for the weekend. This sanctuary is run by George (Patrick Page) and his infinitely accommodating wife, Rita (Mare Winningham). And if the place is a bit run down, for its guests it remains “our own Garden of Eden.” But Harvey being the brilliant Harvey, he has set a serpent loose in their garden of Eden, and you are hooked.
During intermission I asked to buy the poster. The head usher saw I was carrying the book. He tells me several of the men are still alive and the man who took the photos actually had come to see the play! I come further to find out, that of the men/women who are still alive, Harvey (I think) felt it his duty (and privilege) to interview them. So some of the mystery was gone, but yet all the more heightened. Who are they and what has become of them?! I was obsessed with the fact that the usher knew what the photographer of most of the photos looks like! I am even more energized for act two for now I know how much more ‘real’ the story is and I was watching also a history lesson unfold.
As I am waiting for the curtain to go up, coming up my aisle is an unmistakable figure of man – it’s the playwright himself Harvey Fierstein! He sat 1 row across from me! I had to go over to him to ask to sign my poster. “He’s got the book,” he growled to his friend. I grabbed his wrist and kept babbling “it’s brilliant! It’s brilliant’! Hans tongue tied = not often. Back to my seat. I now watched the show and out of the corner of the eye watched this Broadway royalty watching his own show. Surreal. He laughed at the jokes, was stoned faced at the serious moments, just like the rest of us.
Harvey’s reactoin to Jonathan Groff (blue t-shirt) being there
After the show I ran to the stage door and got the cast to sign the poster. Glee star Jonathan Groff was there, a girl next to me nearly died. Harvey was saying goodnight and I asked if I could have my picture taken with him and the book since he had made it come alive along with preserving gay history. “Sure with the book!” We hugged and the guy I gave my camera to couldn’t figure out how it works. Harvey growled, “Heterosexuals! They can’t even figure out how to work a camera.” We all laughed and that is the moment captured in this wonderful moment. I am still on cloud nine.
Casa Susanna
The ladies who lunch
GO SEE THE PLAY – it has a limited run and is closing June 29. Tickets sometimes available 50% off at TKTS nightly.
CASA web site: http://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/2013-2014-season/casa-valentina/
New York Times review: http://online.wsj.com/articles/like-earlier-hot-spots-williamsburg-adds-gloss-1402620838
Cast signed poster
June 13, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: 1960's politics, All About Eve, arts, Broadway, Casa Susanna, Casa Valentina, Casa Valentina review, Catskills, celebrities, Chevalier d’Eon, cross dressing, entertainment, gay history, Glee star Jonathan Groff, Hans Von Rittern, Harvey Fierstein, homophobia, John Collum, Manhattan, Mare Winningham, Margo Channing, men in drag, New York City, Patrick Page, Photo of the day, photography, Reed Birney, transvestites | 3 Comments
Jonathan ‘Meres One’ Cohen, Hans Von Rittern
Photo of the day: 2 CHOIR BOYZ ARE WE – During our “Whitewash” exhibit Meres and I were given the task to assemble and Ikea choir bench for an artist’s talk we were to give later that evening. Quite proud that we had both assembled it successfully and that it held our weight – we posed like the two little choir boiz we are
.
Two little choir boyz from school are we
Pert as a choir boy can be
Filled to the brim with boyish glee
Two little choir boyz from school are weEverything is a source of fun
Nobody’s safe for we care for none
Life is a joke that’s just begun
Two little choir boyz from the Factory Phun
Two Little choir boyz who all unwary
Come from a boy’s seminary
Free from his genius tutelary
Two little choir boyz from school
Two little choir boyz from school !One little choir boy is the painter handsome
One little choir boy has photos done
Two little boyz in attendance to the art show come
Two little choir boyz from 5 Pointz come
Not under any politician’s thumb
Not liking that Wolkoff scum
nor that Van Bramer bum
Here to make your hood not so glum
Here wishing we had a (paint) gun
LET’S GET THIS DONE !
(With apologies to Gilbert & Sullivan.)
June 12, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "Three little maids are we", "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, AUKS One, AUKS Thomas Lucero, Brooklyn, celebrities, choir bench, choir boyz, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, graffiti, graffiti art, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jerms, Jerry Wolkoff, Jimmy Van Bramer, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, public art, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Shiro of Japan, Shoko Mikami, street art museum, the importance of public art discussion, the importance of street art discussion, The Mikado, Thomas Lucero, Topaz, Wolkoff, Zimad | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: THE CYCLE OF ART AT 5 POINTZ – Come see the magnificent art work for these last two days and celebrate with us that life and art always prevail. Artists and writers will be on the scene.
If you would like to see more expressions by great artists on canvas and in photographs (mine included) from today till this final weekend – come to the Jeffrey Leder Gallery this weekend and view the brilliant art by artists: Auks, Cortes, Hans Von Rittern, Jerms, Just One, Meres One, Poem, Shiro, See TF, Topaz, Zimad, all brilliantly curated by Marie Cecile Flageul! A catalog is available for sale as is all the art.
The Jeffrey Leder Gallery: 2137 45th Road, L.I.C.
#7/G subway stop. One block away from 5 Pointz and PS1 Moma. Admission is free, open Saturday: 12-8pm. Artists will be present from 5-7 today!
Sunday: 12-6
June 7, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz documentary, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, AUKS One, AUKS Thomas Lucero, Brooklyn, celebrities, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Court Street subway stop #7 G, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, graffiti, graffiti art, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, public art, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Shiro of Japan, Shoko Mikami, street art museum, the importance of public art discussion, the importance of street art discussion, Thomas Lucero, Topaz, Wolkoff, Zimad | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: ART IS TRA$H – This art work by street artist Francisco de Pájaro was discovered on a mattress late at night at 5 Pointz Graffiti and Street Art Museum which is now destroyed. So, the art at 5 Pointz is now sadly trashed. Or, is it we as society that are the trash? Come see the ‘Whitewash” exhibit at the Jeffrey Leder Gallery in it’s last days till June 8! Closing party Saurday June 7: 12 -8. LEDER GALLERY: 2137 45th Road, L.I.C.
#7/G subway stop. One block away from 5 Pointz and PS1 Moma. Admission is free
Here is an excerpt from an interview on Francisco de Pájaro from the blog: ‘Street Art Mecca’: “Francisco speaks about the absurdity in society, our hideous selfishness, our capacity for self destruction and our ridiculous behaviour towards weaknesses. Pajaro’s “Art is Trash” speaks directly at you and says “you are the art, the lie and the trash of society”, and we love him for it. I realised in hindsight that he is just as wonderfully satirical and humorous in conversation as his art is on the street. He sees society with the stark reality you find in many great artists. He points out our imperfections and makes us laugh at them. He converts our waste into grotesque reminders about who we are and what we do. His style of art might be named naive if it wasn’t so harsh to look at. The gallery is on the street, among our discarded belongings that we so often like to ignore.
On previous mini filming excursions with Pajaro I noted that the artwork doesn’t last long on the streets. In
Barcelona there are specific nights when people can put any type of trash on the streets. Each neighbourhood has it’s own day and we met in Gracia on a Tuesday. It doesn’t take long to find an attractive pile of crap and he gets to work. The street is dark and desolate and there’s only Pakistani immigrants competing for recyclables. They stop and watch the performance. One couple walk past and recognise him from “that documentary”. On a different occasion I’ve seen people take some of the art as soon as we leave. “It’s a Barcelona thing” says one neighbour, as he takes a mini monster sculptor back into his house.
Each piece is unique. Each piece is improvised on the street, in the moment. Each piece has the shortest of life spans, much shorter than other types of street art. Each piece interacts with the environment and creates a new perspective. There’s no catch, it’s pure street art. It’s rebellious and punk. The motivation is sincere also, to communicate with everyone. To make you think, to make you smile or laugh. To bring something new to the routine of everyday life. There’s nothing on sale, no money is involved.
Art is Tra$h: Nobody can put me down.
How true that is…..
June 6, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 'Street Art Mecca' blog, 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, ART IS TRA$H, ART IS TRASH, arts, Auks, AUKS One, AUKS Thomas Lucero, Barcelona Spain art scene, Brooklyn, celebrities, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Court Street subway stop #7 G, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, depajaro blogspot, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, Francisco de Pájaro, garbage made in to art, graffiti, graffiti art, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, mattress as art, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, public art, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Shiro of Japan, Shoko Mikami, street art museum, the importance of public art discussion, the importance of street art discussion, Thomas Lucero, Topaz, Wolkoff, Zimad | Leave a comment
“Cathedral Light”
Photo of the day: COME SEE THE LIGHT – The Cathedral-like light of what once was 5 Pointz can be in seen in one of my many photographs at our current ‘Whitewash’ exhibit ending this Sunday June 8. Closing party to beheld this Saturday from noon till 8pm, please join me and my friends!
If you would like to see more expressions by great artists on canvas and in photographs (mine included) from today till this final weekend – come to the Jeffrey Leder Gallery this weekend and view the brilliant art by artists: Auks, Cortes, Hans Von Rittern, Jerms, Just One, Meres One, Poem, Shiro, See TF, Topaz, Zimad, all brilliantly curated by Marie Cecile Flageul! A catalog is available for sale as is all the art.
The Jeffrey Leder Gallery: 2137 45th Road, L.I.C.
#7/G subway stop. One block away from 5 Pointz and PS1 Moma. Admission is free, open 12-6.
Leder Gallery:
http://www.jeffreyledergallery.com/whitewash.php
June 5, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, AUKS One, AUKS Thomas Lucero, Brooklyn, celebrities, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Court Street subway stop #7 G, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, graffiti, graffiti art, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, public art, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Shiro of Japan, Shoko Mikami, street art museum, the importance of public art discussion, the importance of street art discussion, Thomas Lucero, Topaz, Wolkoff, Zimad | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: ‘EMPTY’ BY HANS VON RITTERN – Don’t let June pass you by with that “Empty” feeling. Only 9 more days to see our ‘Whitewash” exhibit!
This photo is one of my 16 photos on display and has already been sold to one of the men in the photo. The photo was taken the day of the whitewash, I noticed these two guys where just standing there for at least a half an hour, silent, motionless – just dumbstruck by the vandalistic act. The title ‘Empty’ says it all, how we felt, they felt and we all still feel to this day.
If you would like to see more expressions by great graffiti and street art artists on canvas and in photographs (mine included) this weekend – come to the Jeffrey Leder Gallery this weekend and view the brilliant art by artists: Auks, Cortes, Hans Von Rittern, Jerms, Just One, Meres One, Poem, Shiro, See TF, Topaz, Zimad, all brilliantly curated by
Marie Cecile Flageul!
The Jeffrey Leder Gallery: 2137 45th Road, L.I.C.
#G subway stop to Court Square. #7 train is not running this weekend but shuttle service is available from #N/Q trains at Queensboro Plaza. One block away from 5 Pointz and PS1 Moma. Admission is free, open 12-6.
Leder Gallery: http://www.jeffreyledergallery.com/whitewash.php
May 30, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, AUKS One, AUKS Thomas Lucero, Brooklyn, celebrities, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Court Street subway stop #7 G, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, graffiti, graffiti art, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, public art, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Shiro of Japan, Shoko Mikami, street art museum, the importance of public art discussion, the importance of street art discussion, Thomas Lucero, Topaz, Wolkoff, Zimad | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: DEBBIE HARRY, CHRIS STEIN, BLONDIE, EARTHA KITT AND HANS – 35 YEARS LATER – or “How a Russian, an old concert ticket and Eartha Kitt got me to meet Blondie” – Last night one of music’s most influential and iconic duo, Chris Stein & Debbie Harry of “Blondie” gave a very rare 90 minute audience participation interview about their lives and the formation of “Blondie” the new wave group that we all know. All you need to hear is Debbie’s “oooohh oh oh-oh” from “Heart of Glass” and you recognize it instantly. The venue – The 92nd Street ‘Y’.
I brought with me my 1979 Blondie concert tickets from Asbury Park’s Convention Hall for the then expensive price of $8.50. ‘The Laughing Dogs’ opened for them. On the day of the concert my friend Susan and I begged the promoters not to tear our tickets so as to preserve them and they obliged! In today’s times that would never happen. So, I showed up at the ‘Y’ stage door last night at 5:30 for the 8:00 show. The Ebayers all started showing up. “She doesn’t like to pose with people.” OK, I thought, a photo is out, autograph is the main goal then.
One of the security guards saw that I had a very rare French 12″LP of ‘Sunday Girl’ with me and was eager to see it. He winds up showing me his record collection on his iPhone, proudly exclaiming he knew all the songs on his records and that they are in mint condition. “Do you have this one?!” “Remember that one?” The last one he showed me was Eartha Kitt’s first lp “That Bad Eartha”, I told him that I had been friends with her and the stories she had told me of making that first album, well…that sealed the deal. “Come back after the show,” he said.
At 7:20 a black town car pulled up and she emerged. Hair in curlers, radiant as can be. Rushed right in. Her driver told me she was exhausted, fighting a cold and was unnerved that she did not know who the interviewer was.
A few moments later Chris Stein pulled up willing to sign a few autographs. The Ebayers pressed forward. The ‘record collector’ security guard made room for me. I showed Chris my 1979 concert tickets and he laughed and said ‘you deserve an autograph after all this time!’. In he went.
Debbie’s driver and I wound up being all alone at the stage door and he started to tell me about his life. He is a Russian scientist who immigrated here in 1989, became a Wall Street trader but lost it all in the stock market crash. He decided to take his knowledge and educate his daughter on the principles of science and economics. She is now graduating with a Masters Degree in physics. We spoke of politics, America’s influence on music, only to discover he sold his piano and bought and electric guitar and knows the riffs to all the hard core rock bands of the 60’s and 70’s and starting playing air guitar for me – Blondie’s chauffeur is playing air guitar for me – surreal !
The interview was conducted by Anthony DeCurtis, co-author of Clive Davis’ autobiography. Chris in his white hair, all black suit and boots, wearing blackout shades he evoked the 1980’s all over again. Debbie looked stunningly radiant. Her now coifed hair had transformed her into a luminescent modern day Marilyn Monroe, same color, same tossed soft curls. She was dressed in a white cotton blouse with parachute style yellow shawl, tuxedo pants and combat boots. Total Blondie.
Speaking of clothes, they explained their original look came from the thrift shops of New York in the early 70’s. “Disco was big lapels, bright colors and we wanted to be the antithesis – the early Beatles black suits with the narrow lapels, secondly also because that shit was the cheapest in the stores and nobody wanted it, now it’s all gone. No one looked like us, we would get stared at in the street in those days.” Debbie laughed.
Debbie’s voice actually has a Marilyn quality, soft spoken, she takes a moment to think before she speaks, and just answers the question, short and to the point yet often reflective. When asked about being the first breakthrough rap recording artist (who happens to be a white female) with the song “Rapture” (the man from Mars is eating cars!) and how did it come about she explained, “I didn’t know the word ‘reggae’ but Chris heard there was this festival going on up in Harlem and we went. I loved that the music and that it had a message, told a story and so connected with the people, I loved the rhythm. We basically stole/copied their style…the rest is history.”
But their influences came from the opposite direction as well, “Dreaming”/(Eat to the Beat) is blatantly lifted from Abba “not enough so I could get sued” chuckled Chris. Debbie said, “yeah I listened to them, but I could never get past that polka-like sound that crept into their music.” She grinned and laughed.
When Debbie laughs or reflects she leans back and pulls her hand through that platinum ‘Marilyn’ hair and as the evening progressed and as the hair became more tossed – she morphed more and more into a 68 year old radiant Blondie/Marilyn.
When asked what rock group from the CBGB era to you feel should have been more recognized, Chris instantly and angrily said “The Ramones, I mean come on, their were fucking brilliant, they should be up there today with the Beatles and The Stones!” What was so great about CBGB’S? Debbie answered: “No one watched you, we just did shit, if we fucked up it didn’t matter and that’s how we evolved, we were not under a microscope.”
How does she feel about being such a music icon? Was she harassed? “It felt great. We weren’t thinking of the future, we were just in the moment. I mean I did wind up becoming a feminist mainly because of Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin. I wanted to get even for those ladies, I felt so sorry for them. ‘Here world take this!’ and here’s to you Billie and Janis. I was never harassed because I was with Chris, the band didn’t lay their hands on me because I was ‘Chris’s girl’. At one point though it did become us versus them, but we got past that.” On meeting Warhol: “We met in passing at Studio 54 and became friends. He was determined to photograph me in 1979, he did my hair for the shoot! He used to shoot with these crappy Polaroid cameras, I mean like the oldest archaic models, so we used to look for them in thrift stores as we toured and would give them to him,” said Debbie. That happened to be the 1979 poster advertising the Warhol Blondie issue that I had brought with me to be signed.
They have just released a new double VINYL lp with re-recorded classic hits as well as 12 new songs. The double albums has two titles “Blondie 4(0) Ever/Ghosts of Download.” Sadly they did not have a signing afterwards. They plan to tour “with festivals” in Europe later this year and tour in the USA in 2015! Chris Stein’s book of awesome photography will go on sale in August. Many of the photos were shown in a slide presentation and they both humorously reminisced about the ‘old times’. Audience questions were taken during the last 20 minutes and were very insightful.
At the show’s end I ran to the stage door already besieged with Ebayers and fans. Luckily the her driver and the security guard placed me near her car door. As Debbie noticed the Ebayers had pressed forward she didn’t want to sign anymore but her driver and the guard steered her towards me and both the guard and I said simultaneously “He’s/I’m not an Ebayer!”. Debbie looked, warmly smiled at me, squeezed my hand and signed her full name unlike the initials she had dome for the others. I floated on an ‘Atomic’ cloud all the way home. Here is my incredibly awesome rare signed treasure above – 35 years later!!
BLONDIE 1979 Village Voice ad
May 29, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "Dreaming"/(Eat to the Beat), "Heart of Glass", "Rapture", 'The Laughing Dogs, 1979, 92nd Street "Y", Abba, Andy Warhol, Anthony DeCurtis, Asbury Park's Convention Hall, Blondi rare interview, Blondie, Blondie and reggae, Blondie Ticketron 1979 tickets, CBGB's, celebrities, Chris Stein, Debbie Harry, Debbie Harry on Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin, Dreaming" Blondie is copy of Abba, Eartha Kitt, entertainment, first mainstream rap song, Hans Von Rittern, how the, how the Blondie look evolved, Janis Joplin, Manhattan, Marilyn Monroe, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, Richard Bernstein, Studio 54, The Ramones, Warhol Blondie, Warhol photographing Debbie Harry, Warhol's Interview | 4 Comments
Photo of the day: FROZEN by SHIRO, 5 POINTZ WHITEWASH EXHIBIT THIS WEEKEND – One of the most beloved 5 Pointz artists is Shiro of Japan. I am delighted to also call her a friend. Two of the most iconic figures that represent 5 Pointz to this day are Meres One’s iconic light bulbs and Shiro’s Japan girls. For our current Whitewash exhibit, artists decided to represent their feelings in one of two ways – either to express their feeling through expressive paintings or to simply recreate one of their 5 Pointz murals. Shiro aka Shoko Mikami has decided to do both in recreating some of her iconic Japan-anime figures. The only thing now different is they are frozen and violated, the mermaid has been caught and chained, the geisha girl has been raped and the nurse has been poisoned. This is how most of us feel about the destruction of this iconic place.
If you would like to see more expressions by great artists on canvas and in photographs (mine included) this weekend – come to the Jeffrey Leder Gallery this weekend and view the brilliant art by artists: Auks, Cortes, Hans Von Rittern, Jerms, Just One, Meres One, Poem, Shiro, See TF, Topaz, Zimad, all brilliantly curated by Marie Cecile Flageul!
The Jeffrey Leder Gallery: 2137 45th Road, L.I.C. #7/G subway stop. One block away from 5 Pointz and PS1 Moma. Admission is free, open 12-6.
Leder Gallery: http://www.jeffreyledergallery.com/whitewash.php
SHIRO has been expressing her own vision of the world and for life through her original characters. Her colorful artwork is a reflection of her love for true graffiti and hip-hop. Over the years she has been touched by the essence & soul of hip-hop culture and old school graffiti styles. Her devotion to graffiti art afforded her the opportunity to work with many great graffiti artists. She decided to stay in NY and develop her talent as an artist. From 2002 to 2004, she lived in Brooklyn and Queens, and could be found painting in the city on a regular basis. Today she lives part time in Brooklyn and hopes to stay in NYC permanently one day. She has performed in various live painting events, participated in international gallery art shows and been a part of graffiti crew gatherings in the world. She also participated in community awareness murals and other large-scale graffiti projects all over New York City and Japan. In Japan, Shiro has worked with people in the hip-hop industry, organizing graffiti shows and live painting events in her hometown of Shizuoka and participating in painting events in surrounding areas. In addition to her murals, she has worked on canvases, illustrations, and has designed and produced original theater stage decorations. She happens to work as a nurse in a hospital, caring for people who need assistance in critical parts of their lives. Through her work within the medical field, she witnessed many dramas which motivate and stimulate her. With these experiences which strengthen and broaden her perspectives on life, she continues to express this message through her artwork: “We exist RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE!”
May 24, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, AUKS One, AUKS Thomas Lucero, Brooklyn, celebrities, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Court Street subway stop #7 G, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, graffiti, graffiti art, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, public art, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Shiro of Japan, Shoko Mikami, street art museum, the importance of public art discussion, the importance of street art discussion, Thomas Lucero, Topaz, Wolkoff, Zimad | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: HAPPY (yes) 68th BIRTHDAY CHER ! – If ever an icon has kept the love of six generations of fans, she has, with a hit record in every decade. No recording artist has done that. I have had the sheer delight to have met her several times and she is as beautiful inside as she is outside. Happy Birthday Cher – you DID turn back time !
May 20, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: arts, celebrities, Cher, Cher 68th birthday, Cher Carnegie Hall meeting fans, Cher in leather jacket, Cher with birthday cake, Hans Von Rittern, Janet Novick, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: DISCUSSION TODAY 6pm ‘THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC ART’ at JEFFREY LEDER GALLERY – Come join me and the artists of 5 Pointz to discuss the ever growing importance of public art in our cities and culture. ‘Street art’ gives our
… communities their identity, brightens blighted areas, gives pride and keeps the flavor of the neighborhood. Come join us! 6pm.
If you would like to hear more expressions by great artists tonight – come to the Jeffrey Leder Gallery tonight and view and hear the awesome artists: Auks, Cortes, Hans Von Rittern, Jerms, Just One, Meres One, Poem, Shiro, See TF, Topaz, Zimad, all brilliantly curated by Marie Cecile Flageul!
The Jeffrey Leder Gallery: 2137 45th Road, L.I.C.
#7/G subway stop. One block away from 5 Pointz and PS1 Moma. Admission is free, open 6 to 9pm.
Leder Gallery: http://www.jeffreyledergallery.com/whitewash.php See More
May 15, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, AUKS One, AUKS Thomas Lucero, Brooklyn, celebrities, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Court Street subway stop #7 G, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, graffiti, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, public art, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, street art museum, the importance of public art discussion, the importance of street art discussion, Thomas Lucero, Topaz, Wolkoff, Zimad | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: HEAVY CONSCIENCE by AUKS/5 POINTZ – One of the thought inducing powerful photos part of the current ‘Whitewash” exhibit in memory of the vandalistic destruction of the great murals at 5 Pointz Graffiti and Street Art Museum. I am proud to say I have one of Auk’s amazing paintings in my home.
“Auks One” (Thomas Lucero), an artist who draws much of his inspiration from Chicano tattoo art, cartoons, skateboard graphics, and later Hip Hop culture and high Renaissance drawings. He is a self-taught artist who has worked diligently over the years to refine his skills in every form of artistic expression. He is best known for his graffiti inspired illustrations and murals and his work has inevitably spread to the gallery circuit.
If you would like to see more expressions by great artists on canvas and in photographs (mine included) this weekend – come to the Jeffrey Leder Gallery this weekend and view the brilliant art by artists: Auks, Cortes, Hans Von Rittern, Jerms, Just One, Meres One, Poem, Shiro, See TF, Topaz, Zimad, all brilliantly curated by Marie Cecile Flageul!
The Jeffrey Leder Gallery: 2137 45th Road, L.I.C.
#7/G subway stop. One block away from 5 Pointz and PS1 Moma. Admission is free, open 12-6.
Leder Gallery: http://www.jeffreyledergallery.com/whitewash.php
May 10, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, AUKS One, AUKS Thomas Lucero, Brooklyn, celebrities, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Court Street subway stop #7 G, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, graffiti, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, street art museum, Thomas Lucero, Topaz, Wolkoff, Zimad | Leave a comment
My personalized advertising on the Barclays Oculus
Photo of the day: CHER COMES TO BROOKLYN’S BARCLAYS CENTER TONIGHT! – Six decades of hits, six decades of fashion, six decades of fantastic shows all culminate tonight in Cher’s “Dressed To Kill” tour here in New York. Cher the eighth wonder of the world, will perform with loveable ‘fun girl’ Cyndi Lauper at Brooklyn’s new modern wonder the Oculus, at the Barclays Center. I’ll be there with Janet Novick and my international Cher fan friends and we’ll be ‘dressed to kill’!
(I’ve done my own advertising on the Barclays oculus here with my photos personally taken of Cher and Cyndi.)
May 9, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "Dressed to Kill" tour, architecture, Barclays oculus, Brooklyn, celebrities, Cher, Cher Barclays Center 5-9-14, Cher comeback tour, Cher concert photos, Cyndi Lauper, entertainment, Hans Von Rittern, Janet Novick, Manhattan, New York City, New York photo, Oculus hommage to Cher, personalized Barclays oculus, Photo of the day, photography, six decades of Cher | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: EYES ON 5 POINTZ, TWELVE YEARS LATER – This weekend would have been the re-opening of 5 Pointz for its 12th season. Seven months after the whitewash and the sad building is still standing, leaving Meres and us again with this question . . . why deprive the world and an entire community of the artwork, when obviously the demolition permits are not in place? Smh…
The art lives on! Currently at The Jeffrey Leder Gallery in form of the ‘Whitewash” exhibit, just one block over at 2137 45th Road in 5 Pointz, come pay your respects and enjoy!
May 4, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, Brooklyn, celebrities, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Court Street subway stop #7 G, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, graffiti, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Topaz, Wolkoff, Zimad | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: GRAFFITI ASCENSION, PAINTING BY CHRISTIAN CORTES – This painting is my mother’s favorite at the current ‘White Wash” exhibit. This powerful, haunting and emotional piece best describes artist Christian Cortes’ feelings of the destruction of 5 Pointz. Many of our visitors to the gallery seem to mesmerized by it and agree.
Christian Cortes is a Visual Artist working in New York City. He’s a freelance illustrator and a painter. Christian has worked mostly within the music and fashion industries. His commercial work is a mixture of hand drawn and computer illustrated techniques. Although Christian’s work can seem very clean and polished, he likes to keep a sense of the hand done techniques still present within his pieces. His gallery painting style developed out of his graffiti background. Christian has been exploring combinations of graffiti typography with surrealism, abstraction, South American iconography and New York culture.
If you would like to hire Christian Cortes for a commercial job or commission him for a custom project, he can be contacted at Christian@cortescreates.com. Please make sure to state clearly the details and budget of the project.
If you would like to see more expressions by great artists on canvas and in photographs (mine included) this weekend – come to the Jeffrey Leder Gallery this weekend and view the brilliant art by artists: Auks, Cortes, Hans Von Rittern, Jerms, Just One, Meres One, Poem, Shiro, See TF, Topaz, Zimad, all brilliantly curated by Marie Cecile Flageul!
The Jeffrey Leder Gallery: 2137 45th Road, L.I.C.
#7/G subway stop. One block away from 5 Pointz and PS1 Moma. Admission is free, open 12-6.
Leder Gallery: http://www.jeffreyledergallery.com/whitewash.php
Christian Cortes: http://cortescreates.com/
May 3, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: "Graffiti Ascension" by Christian Cortes, "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, Brooklyn, celebrities, Christian Cortes, Cortes, Court Street subway stop #7 G, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, graffiti, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Topaz, Zimad | Leave a comment
by Meres One Cohen
Photo of the day: I FOUND I COULD SAY THINGS WITH COLOR… – “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way, things I had no words for” is a quote by famed American iconic painter Georgia O’Keefe (1887 – 1986) and used here in a painting by 5 Pointz curator and “Whitewash” artist Meres One Cohen. It is haunting to think that her words from a long ago generation would apply so well to today’s generation of street, graffiti and mural artists today.
If you would like to see more expressions by great artists on canvas and in photographs (mine included) come to the Jeffrey Leder Gallery this weekend and view the brilliant art brilliantly curated by Marie Cecile Flaguel!
The Jeffrey Leder Gallery: 2137 45th Road, L.I.C.
#7/G Court Street subway stop. One block away from 5 Pointz and PS1 Moma. Admission is free, open 12-6.
April 26, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz destroyed, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, Brooklyn, celebrities, Cortes, Court Street subway stop #7 G, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, Experiencing the destruction of 5 Pointz, Georgia O'Keefe, graffiti, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, Meres One Cohen, New York City, New York photo, Orestes Gonzalez, Photo of the day, photography, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Topaz, Whitewash grand opening, Zimad | Leave a comment
PhotoS of the day: 5 OF MY PHOTOS HAVE SOLD! – I had the best Easter surprise yesterday I could ever dream of. I stopped by the “Whitewash” exhibit at the Jeffrey Leder Gallery to say hello and was shown that I have 5 red dots – meaning 5 of my photos have sold. OMG! I was speechless (a rare occasion!). 5 photos/5 Pointz! Thanks to my dear friends Marie Flageul and Meres Cohen you are making a dream come true. I am so proud of the fantastic, stirring, emotional and historically significant show – come see the amazing art work of artists Auks, Cortes, Jerms, Just One, Meres One, Orestes Gonzalez, Poem, Shiro, See TF, Hunt Rodriguez, Topaz and Zimad documenting a piece of art history destroyed forever. The burning passion of 5 Pointz lives on!
The Jeffrey Leder Gallery: 2137 45th Road, Long Island City. #7/G train Court Street stop. One block from PS1 MOMA and 5 Pointz. Wednesday – Sundays 12noon to 6pm. Admission free. Art priceless.
http://www.jeffreyledergallery.com/whitewash.php
April 21, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, Brooklyn, celebrities, Cortes, Court Street subway stop 7 G train, graffiti, Hans photos sold, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder, Jeffrey Leder Gallery, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Marie Flageul, Meres, Meres One, New York City, New York photo, Orestes Gonzalez, Photo of the day, photography, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Topaz, Whitewash grand opening, Zimad | Leave a comment
“WHITEWASH” featured artists group photo: “FIVE POINTZ!”
Photo of the day: 12 ARTISTS PROVE – YOU CAN’T WHITEWASH US! – I sold 3 pieces right away! ! People from all walks of life, from all over town and from around the world came to see the great works of artists who had painted at the (now destroyed) graffiti mecca 5 Pointz and the photographers who captured it. Every major web site and paper in town is covering the exhibit and getting radio and TV coverage as well. It was jam packed last night with mixed feeling of sadness, closure and perseverance. Artists Auks, Cortes, Jerms, Just One, Meres, Orestes Gonzalez, Shiro, See TF, Topaz, Zimad, Hunt Rodriguez and myself proved ART IS FOREVER !
Many more photos to come. $20 catalog signed by me available.
April 6, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: "WHITEWASH", 5 Pointz, 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum, 7 train, arts, Auks, Brooklyn, celebrities, Cortes, Councilwoman Christine Quinn, graffiti, Hans Von Rittern, Hunt Rodriguez, Jeffrey Leder Gallery 2137 45th Rd. Long Island City, Jerms, Jonathan Meres Cohen, Just One, Long Island City, Long Island City Queens, Manhattan, Marie Cecile Flageul, Meres, Meres One, New York City, New York photo, Orestes Gonzalez, Photo of the day, photography, Queens, See TF, SHIRO, Topaz, Whitewash grand opening, Zimad | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: “CALL ME LIZ”: Elizabeth Taylor-Hilton-Wilding-Todd-Fisher-Burton-Burton-Warner-Fortensky. Actress, stunning beauty, one of the first AIDS activists and great dedicated humanitarian. Born February 27, 1932, died March 23, 2011. Having been known for being notoriously late, at her request, the funeral began 15 minutes after it was scheduled to begin; as her representative told the media “She even wanted to be late for her own funeral.”
Cartoon by: Bramhall/New York Daily News
March 23, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: "Call me Liz", AIDS activist, arts, Bramhall, Broadway, celebrities, Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor's funeral, Elizabeth Taylor-Hilton-Wilding-Todd-Fisher-Burton-Burton-Warner-Fortensky, entertainment, Hans Von Rittern, Liz Taylor cartoon, New York City, New York Daily News, New York photo, Photo of the day | Leave a comment
NEW YORK CITY - IN THE WIT OF AN EYE 