2/22/2010

Στον φίλο μου Αλέξη Ακριθάκη

Ο ΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ ΔΕΝ ΕΧΕΙ ΚΟΥΒΕΝΤΟΛΟΙ
Από τον Νίκο Σταθούλη



Αγαπητέ Νίκο

Η ψυχική μου κατάσταση είναι στα μαύρα της τα χάλια. Η κοινονικωπολιτική γύρω μας είναι σαν τα ερείπια ενός μεγάλου σεισμού. Κι εγώ μόνος έχω κλειστεί στο σπίτι μου και ζωγραφίζω με τον φόβο ενός ισσοροπιστή στο σχοινί του τσίρκου. Γιατί η τέχνη έχει μια ευθύνη.
Η τέχνη έχει την δύναμη να ανατρέψει και κυβερνήσεις. Αυτός είναι και (ο ρόλος) της.
Ο ζωγράφος βλέπει πάντα εξωτερικά. Ο καλλιτέχνης βλέπει εσωτερικά-είναι κάτι σαν την φωτογραφία να αντιστρέφεις το είδωλο.
Η τέχνη έχει και μία υποχρέωση στον πολιτικό τομέα αλλά όχι πολιτικά ενταγμένη. Γιατί ανήκει σε όλους ακόμη και σε αυτούς που δεν την καταλαβαίνουν τέχνη είναι κάτι το σημερινό και το αέναο-όσοι έχουν αυτιά να βλέπουνε και όσοι έχουν μάτια να ακούνε.
Είναι ξημέρωμα. Έχω κουραστεί και εγώ δεν βλέπω-μόνο σκέπτομαι. Και είναι που πριν πολλά χρόνια στο Μιλάνο μου είχε πει ο Ιόλας…”Ο καλλιτέχνης πρέπει να είναι τυφλός.”
Φιλιά. Αλέξης 22/03/1993
Σίγουρα δεν ήταν από τα ευκολότερα πράγματα που μου ζήτησαν να κάνω : Να ασχοληθώ με τις αυτοκτονίες των φίλων του Αλέξη Ακριθάκη, αλλά και τον αυτοκτονικό τρόπο ζωής του ίδιου του φίλου μου.
Τον Μάρτιο σε μια συνάντησή μας με την γυναίκα της ζωής του και μητέρας της λατρεμένης κόρης τους Χλόης στο μουσείο Κυκλαδικής τέχνης, η Φώφη Ακριθάκη μου είπε ότι “Ο Αλέξης τον θάνατο δεν τον φοβήθηκε ποτέ. Είχε εξοικειωθεί μαζί του. Είχε συμφιλιωθεί.
Σκέφτομαι ότι ο θάνατος είναι το ποσοστό συνειδητής ζωής που αφήνει ο άνθρωπος αχρησιμοποίητο. Ειδικά όταν γεννιέται καλλιτέχνης όπως στην περίπτωση του Αλέξη Ακριθάκη το ποσοστό αυτό τον πνίγει… τον απειλεί.
Ο Αλέξης Ακριθάκης ήταν γεννημένος καλλιτέχνης. Είχε δημιουργήσει έναν ολόδικό του ηθικό δεκάλογο με τον οποίο ξόρκιζε ότι τον ενοχλούσε…ότι άσχημο άλλαζε την καθημερινότητά του.
Μέρα και νύχτα όταν η αδικία γύρω του ασχημονούσε εκείνος γύριζε στις δημιουργίες του. Ήταν μια πράξη καθαρότητας η ζωγραφική του. Ήταν μια πράξη αισθητική. Μα στο βάθος ήταν ηθική. Αφού από μικρό παιδί σχεδόν την αδικία είχε συνηθίσει να την βλέπει σαν μια πράξη ασχήμιας.
Είχα την χάρη να με τιμήσει με την φιλία του τα τελευταία 10 χρόνια της ζωής του. Μια φιλία έντονη η οποία μου επιτρέπει να ισχυριστώ πια σήμερα πως όταν επρόκειτο να θιγεί η ανθρωπιά του, ζητούσε να αντιδράσει σαν οργανισμός πια…να βρίσει…να δημιουργήσει πράγματα που ότι κι αν τους κάνεις δεν λερώνονται με τίποτα : ένα καράβι, μια βαλίτσα, μια σφήνα, ένα τόξο, μια καρδιά…μια μπόλικη δόση ηρωίνης η αλκοόλ στο αίμα του…”Αλέξη παράτα το…αυτοκτονείς…του είχα πει σε μια από τις τελευταίες μας συναντήσεις για να εισπράξω την απάντηση…”Αυτή η πραγματικότητα μπορεί να είναι πιο σύμφωνη με την αλήθεια, μην προσπαθείς να αποδείξεις την αλήθεια…όποιος αποδεικνύει την αλήθεια της κάνει κακό…”
Ο Αλέξης μεταλαβαίνει την σοφία των γραμμών και των εικόνων δίνοντας τους την δύναμη των συμβόλων. Η διαφάνεια του ουρανού τον εμπνέει. Η ελευθερία του υγρού στοιχείου τον συγκλονίζει. Το ταξίδι και η φυγή ήταν νόμοι για τον καλλιτέχνη. Νόμοι που υπαγορεύουν πράξεις με ανάλογη σημασία. Το Φως και το Σκοτάδι είναι το ξεκίνημα και το τέλος της ζωής. Είναι ολόκληρος ο κόσμος “Είναι η επαναστροφή μου πάνω στις αμαρτίες μου που με κάνει καλλιτέχνη” θα μου πει σε μια από τις ατέλειωτες συζητήσεις μας.
Όταν η απελπισία του χτυπούσε το κουδούνι την δεχόταν. Και της αντέτασσε ένα τοξάκι, ένα κυματάκι, μια καρδιά…Δεν εθρήνησε ο Αλέξης στα δύσκολα. Ήξερε να αντιμετωπίζει τις καταστάσεις με την πιο διαυγή, καθαρή σύνθεση που το πνεύμα του μπορούσε να συλλάβει. Από το σύμβολο του ναυαγίου έβγαινε ένα υψηλό δίδαγμα φωτός…
Την έπαθε συχνά και αυτοτιμωρήθηκε αρκετά. Κράτησε όμως ακέραια την φυσιογνωμία του και έριξε στον κόσμο της τέχνης δυο-τρία πράγματα. Αυτή είναι η μεγαλοσύνη του και η τιμιότητά του.
Με τον Αλέξη γνωριστήκαμε το 1984. Μου είχε μιλήσει ο Αλέξανδρος Ιόλας με πάθος για τον Ακριθάκη. Τον θαύμαζε. Πίστευε ότι ήταν ο πλέον αυθεντικός καλλιτέχνης που είχε συναντήσει ποτέ…Την ώρα που κυλούσε η ηρωίνη ή το αλκοόλ στο αίμα του κατέγραφα τις σκέψεις του στο μαγνητόφωνο. Αυτές τις σκέψεις, αυτές τις συζητήσεις από τον “καταραμένο” της γενιάς του (που έβλεπε τους φίλους του να αυτοκτονούν) παρουσιάζονται για πρώτη φορά. Ήταν τέχνη το βρίσιμο. Τέχνη η αστότητά του. Ήξερε να αυτοσαρκάζεται και παθιαζόταν στην αδυναμία του να μην μπορεί να πει τι είναι τέχνη…ήξερε όμως ότι το να είσαι καλλιτέχνης είναι πράξη φονική. “Το πληρώνεις πολύ ακριβά Νίκο…βάστα μην είσαι καλλιτέχνης…Το πληρώνεις πολύ ακριβά”.
Δεν γνωρίζει τι είναι τέχνη. Ξέρει όμως ότι είναι μια αρρώστια…πράξη φονική. Κι ακόμη ότι το πρόβλημα του καλλιτέχνη του ίδιου είναι αυτοκτονικό.
Είναι κατάρα. Αλλά είναι και χυδαίο να βγάζεις λεφτά από την τέχνη. Τα πράγματα είναι μέσα και όχι έξω.
Ο Αλέξης Ακριθάκης αγνοεί την αλήθεια. Όπως και την τέχνη. Είναι ο μόνος τρόπος να εξηγηθεί.

-Αλέξη…γεννήθηκες?
-Εδώ, στο Νέο Ηράκλειο. Με παιδικές μνήμες που καλύπτονται από στάχια.
-Τι ήταν αυτό που σε έκανε παιδί ακόμα να ανακατευθείς με τα χρώματα?
-Τα λαϊκά πανηγύρια.
-Σου άρεσαν τα πανηγύρια από μικρός?
-Το τι ξύλο είχα φάει δεν λέγεται. Το’σκαγα από το σπίτι, όμως το γούσταρα.
-Και η αντίδραση των γονιών σου?
-Θέλανε να πάω στο εργοστάσιο που είχαν οι ίδιοι.
-Η σχέση σου με το εργοστάσιο ποια ήταν?
-Καμιά. Το μισούσα.
-Και η πρώτη σου επαφή πια πρόσωπο με πρόσωπο με την τέχνη?
-Όταν έφυγα από το σπίτι. Πέρασα μια μεγάλη περίοδο στο καφενείο “Βυζάντιο”. Ήταν μαζεμένοι όλοι εκεί τότε. Εκεί γνώρισα τον Χατζιδάκι, τον Μακρή, τον Αργυράκη, την Μαρία Κάλλας, τον Ωνάση…όλοι μαζευόντουσαν εκεί τότε.
-Αυτοί ωστόσο είχαν μία ευθεία διαδρομή ενώ εσύ έκανες συνέχεια ένα σλάλομ.
-Ναι. Αλλά πήγαινα παράλληλα με αυτούς. Διαδρομές οι οποίες ήταν ατέρμονες.
-Αλήθεια, έχεις μαλώσει ποτέ με καλλιτέχνες? Γιατί ξέρω ότι πολλούς τους βρίζεις…
-Μπορεί να τους έχω βρίσει αλλά λίγοι καλλιτέχνες είναι κακοί άνθρωποι.
-Την ύβρη δηλαδή την χρησιμοποιείς μέσα από μια πατίνα χιουμοριστική?
-Πάντα. Γι’αυτό έχω αποτύχει.
-Ποιοι από τους καλλιτέχνες που έζησες κοντά τους είχαν χιούμορ?
-Χιούμορ είχε ο Μάνος Χατζιδάκις. Ο Κώστας Ταχτσής είχε επικίνδυνο χιούμορ, που σημαίνει ότι δεν ήξερες που βρισκόσουνα αν σε έπιανε στο στόμα του. Ο Γιάννης Τσαρούχης είχε κι αυτός επικίνδυνο χιούμορ. Άσε που με είχε καλέσει μα φορά να φάω σπίτι του και δεν έφαγα. Σιχάθηκα. Που δεν σιχαίνομαι, τρώω από κάτω. Πιο βρόμικος άνθρωπος δεν υπήρχε… πολύ βρόμικος…αλλά πολύ καθαρός στα χρώματά του.
-Τι είναι τέχνη Αλέξη?
-Δεν ξέρω
-Γιατί οι καλλιτέχνες δεν μπορούν να πουν τι είναι τέχνη?
-Δεν ξέρω, ειλικρινά. Μια ανάγκη ζωής είναι…είναι μια αρρώστια…δεν έχει υπάρξει καλλιτέχνης που να έχει δώσει ορισμό της τέχνης. Ούτε θα υπάρξει. Έτσι είναι.
-Μήπως το να κινείσαι έξω από τα όρια είναι τέχνη?
-Ναι, αυτό είναι. Μόνο μην ξεχνάς ότι το πρόβλημα του καλλιτέχνη είναι αυτοκτονικό τελείως.
-Είναι λύτρωση να είναι κάποιος καλλιτέχνης?
-Δεν θα το’λεγα λύτρωση θα το’λεγα κατάρα.
-Το πληρώνει ακριβά?
-Ναι. Η φτηνά…αν είναι τίποτα
-Είσαι μποέμ Αλέξη?
-Ξέρω γω…
-Καταραμένο?
-Είμαι. Το έγραφα από πολλά χρόνια στο κουδούνι μου στο Παρίσι.
-Οι μποέμ καλλιτέχνες κυκλοφορούν με κάντιλακ?
-Όχι μωρέ, μια Άλφα Ρομέο έχω μεταχειρισμένη…έχω σπάσει 15 αυτοκίνητα.
-Με πόσα χιλιόμετρα τρέχει το μυαλό σου Αλέξη?
-Δεν κοιμάμαι όλη την νύχτα…και τρέχω με χίλια.
-Μίλησε μου για την παιδαγωγική σου? Τι έμαθες στους μαθητές σου σαν καθηγητής στο πανεπιστήμιο του Βερολίνου? Γιατί θέλησες να γίνεις καθηγητής?
-Τους έμαθα να βλέπουν τα πράγματα από μέσα τους και όχι να τα απεικονίζουν απέξω τους. Πώς να στο πω…να τα βλέπουνε μέσα τους. Θέλει πολύ δυνατή άσκηση αυτό. Ένα χάϊδεμα θέλει και το καταλάβανε οι μαθητές μου. Ένα άγγιγμα ότι μέσα είναι τα πράγματα δεν είναι έξω.
-Εσύ για να το καταφέρεις αυτό τι χρειάστηκες?
-Ξέρω γω…από 16 χρονών που έφυγα από το σπίτι. Τόσο χρειάστηκε.
-Μια απόφαση μόνο?
-Μια τόλμη θα έλεγα. Ή ένας βιασμός, όχι σε παρθένα…αλλά στον ίδιο μου τον εαυτό.
-Τι ψάχνεις να βρεις Αλέξη?
-Την ουσιαστική έννοια ψάχνω να βρω Νίκο. Γι’αυτό όποτε έχω διδάξει δεν έχω πει ποτέ στους μαθητές μου 10 πράγματα. Πάντα τους λέω ένα. Μόνον ένα. Για να μπορεί να γίνει αφομοιώσιμο μέσα τους, γιατί, αν τους πεις 10, δεν μαθαίνουνε καλά. Και αυτό το είχα ζήσει από την σχολή στο Παρίσι που, εντάξει, μας λέγανε πολλά, αλλά κάθε μέρα που έφευγα κράταγα μόνο ένα πράγμα.
-Είσαι πολύ φειδωλός στις εκθέσεις σου, είσαι πολύ φειδωλός στο έργο σου, δεν παρουσιάζεσαι συχνά, γιατί?
-Δεν έχω λόγο να μιλήσω. Για να βγω να μιλήσω, πρέπει να βρίζω από το πρωί έως το βράδυ. Έβρισα μία φορά, έβρισα δύο και για να βρίσω κάποιον πρέπει να με προκαλέσει.
-Να βρίσεις γιατί?
-Να τους χέσω γαμώτο. Γιατί σε αναγκάζουν να βρίσεις. Το φέρνουν από δω, το φέρνουν από κει, τάχας με μία ευγένεια, αλλά σε φέρνουν μέχρι το λαιμό…αυτοί δεν βρίζουνε, αλλά σε φέρνουνε σε θέση να τους βρίσεις. Σε ενοχλούν στα ίσια. Κοντράρεσαι. Η συμπεριφορά τους είναι χυδαία. Σε κοροϊδεύουν, σε αντιγράφουν. Όταν εσύ έχεις κάνει μια ολόκληρη διαδρομή, και έρχεσαι να βάλεις τρικλοποδιά σε μένα, εγώ δεν έχω τι να σου πω. Εγώ δεν έχω πόδι να σου βάλω τρικλοποδιά εκείνη την ώρα. Διότι εσύ λειτουργείς με ένα σύστημα από πίσω σου, που σε έχει καλύψει πλήρως και εγώ είμαι ένας φτωχός ξεβράκωτος καλλιτέχνης.
-Έχεις μια τρέλα Αλέξη.
-Εγώ έχω τρέλα?
-Την τρέλα του καλλιτέχνη.
-Πάρα πολλές φορές στην ζωή μου η τρέλα έχει λειτουργήσει και μου έχει ταράξει το μυαλό. Θυμάμαι ένα Σάββατο βράδυ που έφευγα και πήγαινα κάπου στην Ξενοκράτους στο Κολονάκι. Θυμάμαι τις αντιδράσεις των πλουσίων που με θέλανε και δεν με γαμήσανε. Ήταν και μια ηδονική θέση δική μου. Τρέλα δηλαδή.
-Είναι τρέλα και τώρα που τολμάς και το λες…
-Δεν ντρέπομαι, γιατί να ντραπώ για πράγματα που έχω κάνει. Εκείνο που με ενοχλεί σε πολλούς είναι ότι έχουν κάνει μύρια όσα και το κρύβουνε.
-Δεν φοβάσαι?
-Τι να φοβηθώ…για να τα πω αυτά δεν φοβάμαι πρώτα το παιδί μου. Γιατί να το πει άλλος στην κόρη μου και να μην της το πω εγώ.
-Έχεις απομονωθεί Αλέξη?
-Ναι για αρκετό καιρό.
-Ποια είναι η αφορμή?
-Δεν θέλω να πω.
Δημοσιεύω αυτή την συνομιλία σαν ένα αντιπροσωπευτικό δείγμα της σκέψης και της φιλοσοφίας του στην καθημερινότητά του.
Είχε υπόσταση η προσωπικότητά του και ας κινδύνευε. Δεν τον ένοιαζε τον Αλέξη πότε θα φύγει ήταν κάθε μέρα έτοιμος για το ταξίδι αυτό. Γιατί από πολύ νωρίς είχε ολοκληρώσει έναν κόσμο τον οποίο είχε διαμορφώσει μόνος του. Ήταν μια αντιμετώπιση του θανάτου αυτή. Όλοι αργά η γρήγορα κάτι αντιτάσσουν στον θάνατο. Άλλος την θρησκεία, άλλος το καθήκον, άλλος την οικογένεια…την θρησκεία…την πατρίδα…την επιστήμη…την επανάσταση…και όπως θα έλεγε ο ποιητής… “Πολλοί αντιτάσσουν στον θάνατο την επιπολαιότητά τους και μόνο, το κρασί η την μεγαλύτερη ηδονή.” Σε όλα μέσα ήταν ο Αλέξης. Αλλά προτιμούσε, λάτρευε το γράψιμο και την ζωγραφική του. Ένα ολόκληρο έργο-κόσμος που ήταν τόσο δεμένο με την ζωή του, τόσο ιερό και τόσο υπάκουο στο ένστικτο της αυτοσυντήρησης του : “Ο θάνατος έχει αίσθηση και αμεσότητα…είναι μια αστραψιά στο σκοτάδι, έχει μια σπιρτάδα…δεν έχει κουβεντολόι”, θα παρατηρήσει στην εμμονή μου να μετριάσει το αλκοόλ που έβλεπα μέρα τη μέρα να τον σκοτώνει… “Εντάξει μωρέ Νίκο θα την βγάλουμε…”
Ο Ντένης Ζαχαρόπουλος, θεωρητικός τέχνης και φίλος του από τα χρόνια του Βερολίνου σημειώνει στο βιβλίο του : “Αλέξης Ακριθάκης” Εκδόσεις Αδάμ 2006 “Για πολλά χρόνια ο νεαρός Ακριθάκης δεν θα έχει ατελιέ, ούτε καν σπίτι. Ζει διάχυτα και σκόρπια από δω και από κει, αλλά κυρίως ζει δίπλα στον Μακρή, τον Ταχτσή, τον Εμπειρίκο, τον Βαλαωρίτη, τον Σχινά, τον Αραβαντίνου, τον Κουτρουμπούση, τον Πουλικάκο, τον Δενέγρη, τον Γονατά, τον Καρούζο, τον Σαχτούρη, τον Πετρόπουλο, τον Μειμάρη, τον Χέλμη, τη Λυμπεράκη, τον Βαλτινό. Όλοι τους συγγραφείς, και πρώτα απ’όλα ποιητές. Οι καλύτεροι της γενιάς τους, οι πιο αληθινοί.”
Η ζωή του Βερολίνου στα πρώτα χρόνια του ’70, συγκεντρώνει μια από τις πιο ενδιαφέρουσες και πλούσιες καλλιτεχνικές και πνευματικές κοινότητες στον κόσμο. Συναντήσεις, εκδηλώσεις, εργαστήρια, συζητήσεις, εμπειρίες, χάπενινγκ, εκθέσεις και περιπέτειες, συγκροτούν μια από τις πιο ελευθεριάζουσες, δημιουργικές, φιλελεύθερες και δυναμικές στιγμές στην καλλιτεχνική ιστορία του 20ου αιώνα. Το έργο και η προσωπικότητα του Ακριθάκη θα επέμβουν ριζοσπαστικά σ’αυτό το κλίμα και σύντομα θα δώσουν έναν ιδιαίτερο τόνο και μια λεπτή χροιά στον αυτοσχεδιασμό, την απόγνωση, την φαντασία, την ηδονή, την αυτοκαταστροφικότητα, την αφέλεια, την ανιδιοτέλεια, τον πόνο, το πάθος, τον αυτοσαρκασμό, την μέθη, το γκροτέσκο, το νέο-ντανταιστικό πνεύμα, το παράλογο, την γενναιοδωρία, την παιδικότητα, τη φάρσα, τον έρωτα, την αυτοκτονικότητα, τη φιλία, την αδρεναλίνη, την ατέλειωτη κατανάλωση ενέργειας και την πτώση. Και ι Ακριθάκης δεν προσποιείται. Πέφτει από ψηλά και ξανασηκώνεται, τσαλαπατημένος αλλά με το χαμόγελο, χωρίς δικαιολογίες, περήφανος, ευπροσήγορος μέχρι το τέλος.
Από την φάμπρικα μέχρι τη διαδήλωση, από το τσίρκο μέχρι την κηδεία, από το θέατρο μέχρι τον Καραγκιόζη, από την μέθη μέχρι το δημόσιο χάσιμο του εαυτού, η διάσταση που τον απασχολεί αδιάκοπα αγγίζει μία πρωτόγνωρη, αρχαϊκή δραστηριότητα, που συνιστά μια συνεχή γιορτή, πέρα από κάθε τυπικό και που, όπως κάθε πρωτόγονη και αρχέγονη γιορτή σέρνει το ζώο από μέσα μας στον βωμό της προσφοράς. Είναι, μ’αυτόν τον τρόπο, μοίρασμα της θυσίας και του δώρου που ενσαρκώνει παραδειγματικά και αυτόβουλα η τέχνη και η προσφορά της. “Τέχνη είναι ο βαθύς ο πόνος. Τέχνη είναι ο βαθύς ο έρωτας. Τέχνη είναι το προθανάτιο γέλιο. Τέχνη είμαστε ΕΜΕΙΣ με όλα τα ελαττώματα και τα πάθη. Δεν υπάρχει προτέρημα στη τέχνη.” Γράφει ο Ακριθάκης το 1977.
Ακόμα και αν ο Ακριθάκης έχει ήδη μπλέξει με τα ναρκωτικά από το 1971 στο Βερολίνο, δεν είναι τα ναρκωτικά που εννοεί όταν μιλάει για ελαττώματα και πάθη. Δεν χρειάζεται δικαιολογίες γι’αυτά που κάνει…Δεν είναι ο καλλιτέχνης που παίρνει ναρκωτικά. Ο Ακριθάκης τα χρειάζεται όταν δεν είναι συγκεντρωμένος στην γραφή του έργου του, όταν η καθημερινότητα τον φθείρει και νιώθει τις δυνάμεις του να τον εγκαταλείπουν, τις στιγμές που δεν είναι ένα με τον πόνο και τον έρωτα, όταν δεν θα ήθελε να ξέρει, αλλά δεν μπορεί να αγνοεί την μιζέρια που καραδοκεί σε κάθε γωνιά. Δεν τον φοβίζει ο θάνατος ούτε η αυτοκτονία, αλλά η ψυχική ένδεια, που καταλήγει στην αδυναμία να κρίνει κανείς με απόλυτα και αυστηρά μέτρα τον εαυτό του, στην αδυναμία να φτάσει ως το άκρο της αντοχής όπως ο ακροβάτης. “Φτάνω χαμηλά στον βυθό της ζωής μου με μια μάσκα κι ένα καλάμι”, γράφει σ’ένα σχέδιο στα τετράδιά του.
Η επιμελήτρια τέχνης Μαρία Κοτζαμάνη, με αφορμή την τελευταία του έκθεση στο Μουσείο Κυκλαδικής Τέχνης με τίτλο Α…όπως ΑΚΡΙΘΑΚΗΣ γράφει για το “Εδώ” και το “Επέκεινα” : “Το ταξίδι που έχει μονίμως κατά νου ο καλλιτέχνης είναι το ταξίδι προς την αιώνια σιωπή, προς το άχρονο “Επέκεινα” του θανάτου.
Όλοι οι προβληματική του Ακριθάκη διαμορφώνεται γύρω από τον θανατερό αυτό άξονα. Για να ξορκίσει τις σκοτεινές δυνάμεις του εσωτερικού τρόμου, ο Ακριθάκης επιστρατεύει τον πιο αίθριο λυρισμό των εικόνων του, χρησιμοποιεί τις πιο τρυφερές μνήμες της αθωότητας και της παιδικής ηλικίας.
Έτσι η ωραιοποίηση του τρόμου καταλήγει σε μια συμπαιγνία με τον θάνατο. Τα αποτρόπαια σύμβολα του θανάτου μετατρέπονται σε χαρούμενα και ελκυστικά παιχνίδια : Οι πολύχρωμες βαρκούλες στο “Καρουσέλ” της χαράς μοιάζουν με παιδικά φερετράκια. Τα τρομερά μυστικά των παιδικών αναμνήσεων θάβονται κι αυτά προσεκτικά σε μια σειρά από κουτιά φερετράκια…ο καλλιτέχνης κερδίζει το δικαίωμα της ελευθερίας του, και χρεώνεται το τίμημα της νεκρικής μοναξιάς του. Είναι ένα τραγικό πρόσωπο ο καλλιτέχνης έτσι όπως το εννοεί ο Ακριθάκης. Είναι ένας ζωντανός-νεκρός, καταδικασμένος να βιώνει ταυτόχρονα ο ίδιος την ζωή και τον θάνατό του.”
Είναι Φεβρουάριος του 1990. Ο Αλέξης βρίσκεται ακόμα στο ατελιέ του στην Φιλοθέη. Τον συναντώ με την ηρωίνη να κυλά στο αίμα του. Πάνω στο τραπέζι βρισκόταν μια σακούλα με 50 γραμμάρια. Δεν ήταν σε θέση να κάνουμε συνέντευξη. Ετοίμαζε την έκθεσή του, τα λουλούδια του, φόρο τιμής στους φίλους του που είχαν αυτοκτονήσει. Την επομένη μου στέλνει στο σπίτι ένα γράμμα ζωγραφισμένο με λουλούδια κι αυτό…ίδια λουλούδια των αυτόχειρων φίλων του.
“ Αγαπητέ Νίκο

Μου ζήτησες μια συνέντευξη για την έκθεση με τα λουλούδια στην γκαλερί “7”. Τα λουλούδια στην μνήμη των αυτόχειρων φίλων μου. Λοιπόν αντί για συνέντευξη προτιμώ να σου γράψω αυτό το γράμμα χωρίς να είσαι υποχρεωμένος να το δημοσιεύσεις. Μην φανταστείς πως κι εγώ δεν έχω περάσει τέτοιες σκέψεις. Ζούμε σε μια εποχή που τα πάντα έχουν διαλυθεί.
Το 1960 στο Παρίσι ο Κώστας Μιχαλόπουλος έγραψε ένα ποίημα “ Πάμε να φύγουμε εαυτέ μου “
Ο ποιητής Τάσος Δενέγρης σε κάποιο κείμενό του για τον Γιώργο Μακρή τελείωνε με την εξής φράση “…Η απελπισία θα πρέπει να τον σκότισε, κι έτσι ανέβηκε στην ταράτσα και από κει σκορπίστηκε στους ανέμους.”
Για τον Θάνο Ζευγολάτη δεν έχει γραφτεί τίποτα. Ήτανε φίλος μου και είχε και αυτός έναν ηρωικό θάνατο. Όσο για τον Σπύρο Κοντολέον, πήρε το υδροκυάνιο μέσα σε σουμάδα και είπε στην μάνα του “ Στην υγειά σου μάνα.”
Νίκο μου τα λουλούδια είναι μια καινούρια δουλειά μου. Κάποιο πρωί μόνος στο σπίτι έπινα το τσάι μου. Την προηγούμενη μια φίλη είχε φέρει γλαδιόλες. Τις αντιπαθώ. Αλλά δεν ξέρω πώς μου ήρθε η ιδέα να ζωγραφίσω λουλούδια που δεν αγαπώ. Έτσι άρχισα κάθε μέρα να πηγαίνω στο ανθοπωλείο της γειτονιάς μου να αγοράζω ένα λουλούδι αντιπαθητικό κατ’εμέ και να το ζωγραφίζω. Μέρα με την μέρα όμως κατάλαβα πως αυτά τα λουλούδια παίρνανε μια παραμόρφωση, και έβγαινε μια μοναξιά, κάτι υάκινθοι γίνονταν νεκρικοί.
Άρχισε ο μεγάλος προβληματισμός, που βρίσκομαι? ΤΙ κάνω? Γιατί ζωγραφίζω? Τα πρώτα λουλούδια τα έσκισα. Και θέλω να σου τελειώσω αυτό το γράμμα με μια φράση του Κώστα Καρυωτάκη “…που σβήνουμε όλοι, φεύγουμε έτσι νέοι, σχεδόν παιδιά.”
Νίκο σε φιλώ. Αλέξης
1980: ANDY WARHOL HIRES JAY SHRIVER.

Shriver became one of Warhol's painting assistants. (DD48)


AUTUMN 1980: HOLLY WOODLAWN RETURNS TO NEW YORK.

HOLLY WOODLAWN left Florida, flew back to New York, and got a job as coat-check girl at LEWIS FREEDMAN’s club S.N.A.F.U. (meaning “situation normal: all fouled up”).

Holly visited Andy at the Factory and he took a photograph of her cock with his Polaroid camera. Eventually, she revived her cabaret act, performing at SNAFU. On opening night, unable to get a cab, she hitchhiked to the club and made a dramatic entrance in the back of a white pick up truck. (HW291-2)

1980: JOE DALLESANDRO LEAVES EUROPE.

Joe Dallesandro moved back to New York to try to get his life together and to quit taking drugs and alcohol.

Dallesandro moved in with his father whose method for detoxing him was to feed him booze until he fell down in order to prevent him from feeling the pain of drug withdrawal.

Joe’s biological mother was also having problems and contacted Joe. She wanted to move from Seattle where she was now living to Oakland to be near her two children from her second marriage. Together Joe and his mother drove to Oakland in a trailer “drinking their troubles into oblivion”.

Joe Dallesandro:

“I think we were doing about a half gallon of vodka per day... and that was just for the afternoon. Later on we’d have another half gallon to try and finish for the evening.”(JOE30)

NOV. 1980: ANDY WARHOL MEETS JON GOULD.




Andy Warhol & Jon Gould
(ca. 1982)

Andy Warhol met twenty-seven year old JON GOULD through Chris Makos. Chris had met Gould at the baths although he neglected to tell Warhol that at the time. After JED JOHNSON split up with Warhol, Gould became Warhol's boyfriend. (BC439)

Jon Gould broke up with Warhol in September 1985 . Towards the end of their relationship, Andy started seeing a nineteen year old named Sam Bolton who Warhol gave a job to as Fred Hughes' assistant. (DD52) Sam denied ever having sex with Andy. It is unknown whether Warhol ever had sex with Gould, although Gould did stay with Andy in his townhouse.


Sam Bolton, Dolly Parton & Andy Warhol

DEC. 21, 1980: ANDY WARHOL AND JED JOHNSON BREAK UP.

The day after Andy split up with Jed Johnson, he asked Brigid Berlin to send Jon Gould a dozen red roses at his office. When Jon rang to thank him, Warhol instructed Brigid to send Jon a dozen roses every day. After two weeks, Gould asked his friend Chris Makos to "get Andy to stop; the roses were embarrassing him at work." (BC438-9)

DEC. 25, 1980: GREGORY BATTCOCK DIES.

The body of GREGORY BATTCOCK - art professor, critic, columnist, and star of HORSE - was found on the balcony of his tenth floor condominium apartment in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He had been stabbed 102 times. (He had a reputation for picking up rough trade.) (DB404)

1981

BEGINNING 1981: LOU REED CLEANS UP.

Lou went to twelve step fellowships - NA and AA - to help him give up drugs. (LR322)

1981: JOE DALLESANDRO CLEANS UP.

Joe moved to LA and stopped drinking by going to AA meetings. He worked as a chauffeur for a sedan-limo service and tried to revive his acting career. (JOE30)

MARCH 1981: BOB COLACELLO HIRES DORIA REAGAN.

BOB COLACELLO hired RONALD REAGAN'S daughter in law, Doria, as his secretary. Her husband, Ron Reagan was a ballet dancer with the Joffrey and his "salary was a pittance". (BC450)

MARCH 1981: FRED HUGHES ATTACKS ANDY WARHOL.

FRED HUGHES attacked Andy Warhol in Paris where Fred, Andy and Bob Colacello had gone to attend Nelson Seabra's Red Ball. (BC455)

ca. JUNE 1981: ANDY WARHOL GETS PNEUMONIA.

Andy Warhol was diagnosed with "walking pneumonia" by his doctor, Dr. Cox. (BC441) FRED HUGHES and BOB COLACELLO went on a planned promotional trip for INTERVIEW magazine to the West Coast without Warhol. Fred Hughes' erratic behaviour became increasingly noticeable.(BC454)

1981: HOLLY WOODLAWN STARS IN ORTON'S PLAY.

HOLLY WOODLAWN appeared as Geraldine in Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw with porn star HARRY REEMS, but the show flopped. Not long afterward, she was offered the part of Googie Gomez in an off-Broadway production of The Ritz, also starring another porn star CAL CULVER, but the show ran out of money in the first week and closed before officially opening.

1981: HOLLY WOODLAWN PLAYS MARIA IN THE SOUND OF MUZAK.

After a successful cameo appearance in Trojan Women, Holly starred as Maria in a satirical version of the Sound of Music, re-titled the Sound of Muzak, produced by the same people who did Trojan Women. The venue was the basement of Club 57.

Other cast members included MICHAEL MUSTO playing Sister Sledge and LENNY DEAN playing Sister Boogie Boogie Woman. Also in the cast was JOHN SEX and WENDY WILD. Shortly afterwards, Holly Woodlawn appeared in Tinseltown Tirade on Off-Broadway. (HW293-4)

DEC. 1981: NANCY REAGAN APPEARS ON THE COVER OF INTERVIEW.



1982

MARCH 11, 1982: ANDY WARHOL WRITES JED JOHNSON OUT OF HIS WILL. (DD111)

1982: ANDY WARHOL DOES TV.

Warhol produced and appeared in three cable television series during the eighties. Andy Warhol's Fashion was shown on Manhattan Cable, Andy Warhol's TV was shown on the the Madison Square Garden Network and Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes was shown on MTV. Warhol died before the last episode of Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes was finished.

SEPT. 2, 1982: TOM BAKER DIES.

Tom Baker, who starred in I, A MAN died of drug poisoning “in the arms of friends... in a shooting gallery for drug addicts in a burned-out Lower east Side building” on his birthday. (UV251)

OCTOBER 2, 1982: PAUL AMERICA DIES

Paul America died after being hit by a car while walking down the road on his way home from a dental appointment on October 19, 1982 in Ormond Beach, Florida. (RH1)

1982: HOLLY WOODLAWN ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.

Holly took an overdose of pills, depressed by the aids-related death of her friend VINCENT NASSO. Woodlawn phoned her friend Joyce who took her to St. Vincent’s Hospital where they pumped out her stomach. She then checked into a clinic for alcoholics for a week and went into therapy.

Holly stopped using drugs on a regular basis and made cameo appearances - about twice a year - usually at Limelight where she was paid at the most, fifty dollars. (HW295)



1983

MARCH 1983: JON GOULD MOVES IN WITH ANDY WARHOL.

Although Gould moved in to Warhol's townhouse, he also maintained a separate residence. He was back and forth between Los Angeles and New York and by March 1985 stayed with Warhol only on business trips from L.A. (PT95)

MAY 1983: MICKEY RUSKIN DIES.

Mickey Ruskin, the owner of Max's Kansas City, died of a heart attack, complicated by cocaine addiction, at the age of fifty. (DB404)

AUTUMN 1983: JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT MOVES INTO A WARHOL PROPERTY.

Jean Michel Basquiat, who was working on artistic collaborations with Warhol, moved into a two-story building on Great Jones owned by Warhol. The rent was $4,000 a month, which Basquiat often paid late "partly because he was extravagant with money and also because he had developed a $1,000 a week cocaine habit." (DB392)



1984

JAN. 1984: ELEANOR WARD DIES.

Warhol's first New York art dealer, ELEANOR WARD, died at the age of seventy-five. (DB403)

1984: JOE DALLESANDRO DOES THE COTTON CLUB.

JOE DALLESANDRO was cast as “Lucky” Luciano in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Cotton Club and got various supporting roles in both films and television in Los Angeles where he had been working as a limo driver. (JOE30)

ca. 1984: ANDY WARHOL DOES MUSIC VIDEOS. (UW75)

Vincent Fremont:

"Andy wanted us to be producing not only the TV show, but camera-for-hire projects, like fashion-promo videos and music videos. Our first big music video job was with the band The Cars. Andy co-directed the video with Don Munroe with me as the producer. Don directed Ric Ocasek's solo song, called True to You. We did other music videos for Miguel Bose, Laura Donna Berte, Walter Steding, and Curiosity Killed the Cat." (UW76)

AUGUST 1984: TRUMAN CAPOTE DIES.

Truman Capote died one month before his sixtieth birthday, his body ravaged by years of drug and alcohol abuse. (DB 403)

DEC. 3, 1984: THE FACTORY MOVES FOR THE LAST TIME.

December 3rd was the first day of work at the final Factory - which had been re-located from 860 Broadway to an old Con Edison Factory on Madison Avenue between 32nd and 33rd Street. (L&D457) Warhol purchased the new building earlier in the year for $1.2 million and over a six month period, moved offices to the new building.(DB392)

To purchase the new building Warhol took out a mortgage "for the first time in his life, even though he already owned five substantial properties: the houses on East 66th Street and 89th and Lexington, another on the Bowery, the Montauk compound, and forty empty acres in Carbondale, Colorado." (BC459)



1985

JAN. 3, 1985: CHAMPAGNE OPENS.

Jackie Curtis' play, Champagne opened at La MaMa. Jackie played lead character, Piper Heidsig. (MA)

1985: CAMPBELL'S HIRES ANDY WARHOL.

The Campbell Soup Company hired ANDY WARHOL to produce a series of paintings of their dry soup mixes. (DB322)

FEB. 1985: INGRID SUPERSTAR TRIES TO CALL ANDY WARHOL.

INGRID SUPERSTAR phoned Andy Warhol collect, but he refused to take the call. (AWD631)

Andy Warhol:

"The other day a call came collect from Ingrid Superstar. I didn't take it. I mean, if she's still calling collect... I couldn't face hearing about her life - kids/no kids, married/not married." (AWD631)

MAY 15, 1985: JACKIE CURTIS DIES OF DRUG OVERDOSE.

JACKIE CURTIS died of an accidental heroin overdose at the age of 38. Both Jackie's wake and his funeral mass were held in Manhattan. His wake was at a funeral home on 2nd Avenue and 21st Street and his funeral mass was at St. Ann's Church. (J)



Jackie Curtis on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nirn9XedlVA

Jackie was laid out in his coffin as a man - unlike Candy Darling who was dressed as a woman when buried. Jackie Curtis' corpse wore a dark suit with his hair slicked back and a big white flower on his lapel. Photographs of Jackie in drag were arranged on a table and inside the casket were various show business momentos and a plaque that said “John Holder, a.k.a. Jackie Curtis.”

Cast members from the Theater of the Ridiculous attended, as well as “every weirdo and junkie off Avenue D,” but neither Warhol nor Paul Morrissey showed up. Instead they sent flowers.

As the pallbearers were taking out the casket, the woman who was doing heroin with Jackie on the night she died started sobbing uncontrollably and screamed out “Oh, God, please forgive me! Oh, God, Jackie! Please! I didn’t mean it. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” (HW295-7)

A friend of Jackie Curtis said that at Jackie's wake, "friends filled his casket with photographs and momentos of his career, packs of Kool cigarettes, a magic wand, a cocktail shaker full of martinis, and sprinkled his face and body with glitter. Later, after the funeral, friends covered his burial mound with so much red glitter that it was visible in the distance from the highway." (JCC)

LATE SUMMER 1985: ANDY WARHOL MEETS SAM BOLTON.

Andy Warhol met SAM BOLTON at a charity ball in Newport, Rhode Island. Sam was 19 years old, Andy almost 57. Sam was hired as Fred Hughes' assistant and moved to New York in September, becoming Andy's companion although Sam denied ever having sex with Warhol. (DD51)

AUGUST 1985: TED CAREY DIES.

TED CAREY, "Andy's longtime gallery going and shopping companion," died of an AIDS-related illness at the age of fifty-three - a week before the first and only exhibition of Carey's faux naif paintings opened at an East Hampton gallery. (DB403)

OCTOBER 12, 1985: THE LOVE BOAT IS BROADCAST.

The Love Boat episode (#200), in which Andy Warhol appeared, was broadcast for the first time, having been filmed in March 1985. (DB398)


Ted Lange and Andy Warhol
in The Love Boat

OCTOBER 30, 1985: ANDY WARHOL FLIPS HIS WIG.

While signing copies of his newly published America book at a Rizzoli bookstore in the Soho area of Manhattan, Andy Warhol's wig was pulled off his head by a woman who threw it to a friend who escaped from the store. The woman was held until the police were called, but no charges were pressed. Fortunately, the Calvin Klein coat that Warhol was wearing had a hood which he used to cover his head while he continued to sign books. (AWD689)

Andy Warhol:

"I guess I can't put off talking about it any longer. Okay, let's get it over with. Wednesday. The day my biggest nightmare came true... I'd been signing America books for an hour or so when this girl in line handed me hers to sign and then she - did what she did... I don't know what held me back from pushing her over the balcony. She was so pretty and well-dressed. I guess I called her a bitch or something and asked how she could do it. But it's okay, I don't care - if a picture gets published, it does. There were so many people with cameras. Maybe it'll be on the cover of Details, I don't know... It was so shocking. It hurt. Physically... And I had just gotten another magic crystal which is supposed to protect me and keep things like this from happening..." (AWD689)

NOV. 30, 1985: GERI MILLER CALLS ANDY WARHOL.

GERI MILLER, star of TRASH, telephoned Andy Warhol from a women's shelter, screaming racist remarks to a nearby policeman and a social worker.

According to her, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. One moment she told people that MARIO CUOMO was her father and then that MOHAMMAD ALI was her father.

Andy described her in his diaries as "A Jewish girl who came from New Jersey - in her TRASH days she was our most sensible superstar - then in the seventies she suddenly got crazy. One day she was very down to earth, worrying about her toplesss dancing career, and then the next week she showed up barefoot at 860 [the Factory], saying that the Mafia gave her LSD because she knew too much!" (AWD696)



1986

JAN. 1, 1986: ROBERT SCULL DIES.

Pop and minimalist art collector ROBERT C. SCULL died of diabetes (complicated by unprescribed drug use) at the age of seventy. (DB403)

JAN. 22, 1986: TINKERBELLE DIES.

TINKERBELLE (aka Tinkerbell), a "sixties Warholette” and “regular contributor to Interview" jumped out of a fifth floor window to her death. (UV251) A short biography of Tinkerbelle appears can be found at: http://www.warholstars.org/tinkerbelle.html.

JUNE 29, 1986: MARIO AMAYA DIES.

Magazine editor and museum director, MARIO AMAYA, who was the other person shot by VALERIE SOLANAS at the Factory, died in London of AIDS related illnesses at the age of fifty-two. (UV249/DB404)

SEPT. 1986: JON GOULD DIES.

Andy Warhol's ex-boyfriend, JON GOULD died of AIDS related pneumonia, salmonella bacteremia and cryptococcal meningitis in Los Angeles. A year earlier he had made a pilgrimage to Nepal with the hope of finding a way to allay the disease. (UV250-1/DB404/AWD760)



1987

WED. FEB. 4, 1987: ANDY WARHOL LEARNS OF INGRID SUPERSTAR'S DISAPPEARANCE.

After making her final film with Warhol - San Diego Surf - Ingrid left the Factory and eventually moved in with her mother.

Ultra Violet:

"Ingrid Superstar ...ballooned up to nearly two hundred pounds, floated in and out of prostitution and drug dealing, and was at one point judged mentally disabled... she went out to buy a pack of cigarettes and a newspaper, leaving her fur coat in the closet and her false teeth in the sink. She was never seen again." (UV250)


Ingrid Superstar

SAT. FEB. 14, 1987: ANDY WARHOL HAS A PAIN.

On February 14th, Andy Warhol rang his dermatologist, KAREN BURKE, about a pain in his right side that he had had for awhile. He had been in a lot of pain in Italy the previous month while there for a show of his Last Supper paintings.

Andy had been seeing Burke for collagen treatments to reduce his facial lines. He asked her for some Demerol, but she said she would only give him Tylenol with codeine provided that he went to see Dr. Clement Barone for a sonogram of his right side. Andy had the sonogram, but also took two Demerol that he happened to have with him. Dr. Barone told him his gallbladder was enlarged and he needed to see his doctor, Denton Cox. Andy, trying to avoid going to the hospital, did not call Dr. Cox. Even when the pain became so severe that he did finally see Dr. Cox, Andy refused to go into hospital when Cox told him he must have an operation. Eventually, Warhol had no choice - the pain was too great and he agreed to have the operation. (DD62-5)

SUNDAY FEB. 22, 1987 6:31 AM: ANDY WARHOL DIES.


One of the last photos taken of Andy Warhol. Five days
before his death he participated in a celebrity fashion
show at the Tunnel nightclub which also featured Miles
Davis. Warhol was in a considerable amount of pain
from his gallbladder during the show.

Warhol had checked in to room number 1204 of New York Hospital's Baker Pavillion under the name of Bob Roberts, listing his next of kin as FRED HUGHES. (DD5-10) Although the gallbladder operation went fine, Warhol died early in the morning - on Billy Name's birthday - from an unexpected heart attack. According to Vincent Fremont, Andy "was just getting back into filmmaking at the time of his death." (UW74)

From Warhol by David Bourdon:

"Warhol's surgery was performed on Saturday, February 21, between 8:45 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. The operation went smoothly, and the gallbladder - which proved to be gangrenous - was removed. He remained in stable condition as he spent three hours in a recovery room. At 3:45 p.m. he was taken to his own room. There, he was placed under the personal care of a private nurse who had been hired as a precaution on the recommendation of Dr. Cox, but selected by the hospital from a registry. Warhol was examined during the afternoon and again in the early evening by a senior attending physician, who noted nothing unusual. Alert and in good spirits, Andy watched television and, around 9:30 p.m. telephoned his housekeepers.

But as some point after midnight, Warhol's condition took a surprising turn for the worse. No one really knows what happened during the next four or five hours. According to later reports, the hospital's medical and nursing staffs neglected to look in on him periodically and to monitor his intravenous fluid intake and urinary output. No one adequately supervised the private-duty nurse, whose incomplete notes failed to record the patient's blood pressure, pulse rate, and other vital signs, as well as his dosages of morphine and other medications. as a result, Warhol's over hydration went unnoticed.

At 5:45 a.m. the private duty nurse, who later maintained she had been reading her Bible in Warhol's room, noticed that her patient had turned blue - he was cyanotic due to insufficient oxygen in his blood, and his pulse was feeble. Unable to waken him she contacted the floor nurse who in turn summoned an emergency cardiac team. They tried to resuscitate him but had difficulty inserting a tube in his windpipe because rigor mortis was already setting in. The team worked for close to an hour but all attempts to revive him failed. Warhol was pronounced dead at 6:31 a.m. on February 22, 1987." (DB408-9)

The Washington Post's article on the death of Andy Warhol is at:
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/review96/fishotandywarhol.htm

After Warhol died, the District Attorney investigated his death and concluded there was no evidence of criminal responsibility. However, the New York State Department of Health also investigated and concluded that "the active medical staff of the hospital did not assure the maintenance of the proper quality of all medication and treatment provided to patient." (DD96) Warhol's estate brought a wrongful-death lawsuit against the hospital which was settled out of court for $3 million. The money, less the legal fees, went to Warhol's two brothers as part of a deal to guarantee that they would not contest Andy's will in which he left them $250,000.00.

Warhol's estate was eventually decided by the courts to be worth, conservatively, over half a billion dollars: $509,979,278.00. (DD257) The Warhol Foundation contested this figure in court and it was eventually reduced to $228 million. (AWM13) It was to the Foundation's advantage to have a lower evaluation of Warhol's paintings because it meant they would have to pay less in legal fees to the attorney for the estate who was on a percentage of 2.5% of the value of the estate. (DD116) Also, The Foundation was legally obligated to award 5 percent of its assets for charitable grants and a lower valuation meant that they would have to pay out less money. (DD)

In order to back up their legal challenge for a lesser evaluation, the Foundation argued in court that Warhol was not as great an artist as some independent experts believed him to be. Art dealer Andre Emmerich testified for the Foundation that Warhol's work was likely to fade into obscurity because the subjects of his paintings (Marilyn Monroe, Elvis etc...) would eventually be forgotten. The Foundation paid Emmerich $4,000 a day to testify plus $3,500 for preparatory work. (DD251)

Warhol had stipulated in his will that the Foundation's directors should be Fred Hughes, Vincent Fremont and John Warhola. In 1988, Fred Hughes hired Arch Gilles as a consultant to the Foundation. Gilles, who was president of the World Policy Institute, took the job even though he admitted that he knew nothing about art. (DD138). He became president of the Foundation in March 1990. (DD154) Under Gilles, the daily running costs of the Foundation increased from $400,000 to $5 million a year. When Gilles first became president, the Foundation's bank balance was $25 million. After three years of his presidency, only $6 million remained. (DD259)

Fred Hughes resigned from the Foundation on February 11, 1992 after being told by the Board of Directors that if he didn't resign, he would be voted out. Hughes had been critical of the Foundation to the press and the Board wanted him out. (DD193)


Andy Warhol's Grave (2006)
(Photo: Pierre Skene)

FEBRUARY 26, 1987: ANDY WARHOL IS BURIED.

Andy Warhol was buried in St. John the Baptist Byzantine Cemetery, just outside of Pittsburgh.

A wake for Warhol was held the previous day, Wednesday, after preparation of the body by the Thomas P. Kunsak Funeral Home in Pittsburgh. Andy's corpse wore a "simple black cashmere suit, a paisley tie, one of his platinum wigs and sunglasses. He held in his hands, which lay clasped together on his chest, a black prayer book and a single red rose."

There were no celebrities or socialites at the funeral. Fred Hughes had told anyone who enquired about the funeral that the Warhola family only wanted family members to attend. However, the Warhola family had never made such a request. A small contingent of Factory employees were allowed to go and it included PAIGE POWELL, PAT HACKETT, SAM BOLTON, JAY SHRIVER, VINCENT FREMONT, SHELLY FREMONT and BRIGID BERLIN (who was in London at the time of Warhol's death, but flew back to the states as soon as she was notified). (DD117)

APRIL 1, 1987: ANDY WARHOL HAS A MASS ON APRIL FOOLS DAY.

Warhol's memorial mass was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

BILLY NAME attended the all-Catholic memorial service, "with all the associated hoi poloi, and magazine Vanity Fair covered the event. In their Warhol death article, they referred to Billy by writing and who should show up but Billy Name, the speed freak of the sixties. Billy was non plussed." (B)

HOLLY WOODLAWN attended the service but asked the cab to drop her off a few blocks away from the church to avoid the media. She was invited into the VIP section by FRED HUGHES but declined in order to avoid walking down the long aisle with people straining their necks to see who was coming in.

YOKO ONO read the eulogy even though, according to Holly, “Andy never liked her in the first place.” Holly skipped the luncheon afterwards preferring not to see the relics of her past, and instead escaped out of a side exit and went straight to Saks Fifth Avenue across the street where she bought “enough makeup to paint the Statue of Liberty.” (HW302)

At the postservice luncheon, with VELVET UNDERGROUND recordings playing in the background, BILLY NAME drew LOU REED and JOHN CALE into conversation with each other, easing the tension that existed between them since their musical break up. (LR365) They eventually collaborated on Songs for Drella, a tribute to Andy Warhol, which was released in April 1990 and eventually led to the Velvets getting back together. (LR370-1)

MAY 28, 1987: CHARLES LUDLAM DIES.

CHARLES LUDLAM, co-founder of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, died of AIDs related pneumonia. (UV251)

JULY 23, 1987: STAR OF BLOW JOB DIES.

DeVerne Bookwalter (aka DeVeren Bookwalter) was the person who was being given the blow-job by Willard Maas (off-screen). (AD41) He died of stomach cancer at the age of 47 at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York. Surviving members of his family included his wife, acress Ruth Kidder, and a son in Manhattan, County Wilder Bookwalter. (NY Times obituary, July 31, 1987)

1987: MARY WORONOV VISITS ONDINE FOR THE LAST TIME.

Ondine was living with his mother in Queens, making money by showing Warhol films on the college circuit and talking about his Factory days. MARY WORONOV, who was living in Los Angeles pursuing her film/writing career, went to see him when he appeared at the Nuart cinema.

Mary thought that now that Ondine was "no longer surrounded by the fabulous chaotic speed freaks” he seemed “adrift on a desolate sea of uncomprehending faces.” Ondine was older now and appeared “very alone”. Mary thought the audience might just see him as “a ridiculous old fag.” (MW150-1)

Ondine and Mary spoke to each other for a few moments after the lecture, but Mary's boyfriend was desperate to leave and so Ondine and Mary's conversation was short. It would be the last time that Mary would see Ondine alive.

NOV. 1987: ULTRA VIOLET CALLS VALERIE SOLANAS.

Ultra got Valerie's phone number from the Social Security office by pretending to be her sister. Solanas was living in northern California at the time. Ultra did not tell Valerie who she is, but asked her if she had written anything else since the SCUM manifesto.

When Valerie said no, Ultra asked her what she was doing now, she responded “Nothing,” then added “I’m not in this place under that name.” Ultra asked what name she was using and Valerie told her "Onz Loh."

Valerie asked Ultra if she had a copy of the “newspaper edition” of the SCUM Manifesto, because she didn't have a copy anymore and the book edition was full of mistakes. (UV188/9) Ultra told her she didn't have a copy and then asked her:


“Do you know that Andy Warhol died?”
Valerie’s voice "perked up". “No, I don’t.”
“He died last February.”
“Oh, really.”
“He went to the hospital for an operation and died two days later.”
“Oh.”
“How do you feel about that that?”
“I don’t feel anything. Say, can you write to the copyright office for a copy of the manifesto?”
Ultra responded, “I’ll see," and then asked Valerie, "What happened to all the people in the sixties movement?”
“They died.”
“Do you remember Ultra Violet?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to her?”
“She died too.”

DECEMBER 1987: FIRST LICENSING DEAL WITH THE WARHOL FOUNDATION IS ANNOUNCED.



Andy Warhol and Roger L. Schlaifer,
President of Schlaifer Nance & Company, Inc.
at a company party at the Pierre Hotel in 1985

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (17 December 1987):

"The estate of Andy Warhol has signed an agreement with the marketing company responsible for the phenomenal success of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, giving the company exclusive rights to use the artist's name and works in products possibly ranging from sweaters and scarves to watches, calendars, datebooks and gift wrapping paper... The executor of the estate, Frederick Hughes, who was Warhol's longtime friend and manager, said negotiations had started two years ago between the artist and Schlaifer Nance & Co, the Atlanta-based licensing company... Under the terms of the contract, the licensing profits are to be split between the agency and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, established after his death to aid artists and arts groups."

Warhol had initially met the president of the company, Roger L. Schlaifer, when Schlaifer commissioned Warhol to do portraits of the Cabbage Patch Kids. The 1987 licensing deal would, however, later end up in litigation during the 1990s.

Roger L. Schlaifer:

"We had a phenomenal comprehensive program ready to launch in Japan. The first product of which was fabulous perfume program with Shiseido called Angelique. It utilized Andy's 50s drawings of angels and was promoted with much of Warhol's greatest 50's work. We did a few Gold Books as calendars that won awards in Japan - and another fabulous celebrity and $$$ calendar that won awards in Germany."



1988

APRIL 26, 1988: VALERIE SOLANAS DIES OF PNEUMONIA.

MAY 3, 1988: ANDY WARHOL'S POSSESSIONS ARE SOLD.

A ten day sale of Andy’s possessions at Sotheby's raised $25,313,238. It was the largest single collection sold at Sotheby's since it was founded in 1744. 60,000 people visited the auction house to view the collection over a ten day period which began on April 23rd. (DD131)

JULY 18, 1988: NICO DIES.

NICO died in an Ibiza hospital a few hours after falling off a bicycle. A coroner’s report noted that she suffered a cerebral hemmorage. She was survived by her son ARI. (UV248/LR366)

Ari Delon [son of Nico and Alain Delon]:

"When my mother died, Alan Wise took me to the probate registry in order to inherit the royalties, and the debts. When I got my mum's royalties for the first time I spent the money on smack. I was hooked. I was taking a gram a day. So I called my psychiatric doctor in Paris and I spent two weeks in the hospital. I got off heroin... Now I'm trying to get back into myself. I'm not yet strong enough, but one day, when I am, I will confront my father and I will do it for the sake of my mother." (PM498)

LATE SUMMER 1988: FRED HUGHES GETS WORSE.

FRED HUGHES legs failed to function while he was on a hiking trip in Costa Rica. Several years previously he had been diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis which had remained in remission until now. (DD136)



1989

1989: ONDINE DIES.

Ondine died of liver disease in Queens. (MW151)

JULY 1989: STEVE RUBELL DIES.

Rubell died of complications from hepatitis and septic shock at Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan. (SL61)



1990

JUNE 1990: THE VELVET UNDERGROUND RE-UNITE.

The Cartier Foundation invited the original members of the VELVET UNDERGROUND, along with BILLY NAME, ULTRA VIOLET and DAVID BOURDON, to Jouy-en Josas in France, for the inauguration of the Andy Warhol Exposition where JOHN CALE and LOU REED were going to perform Songs for Drella. After a few songs from Drella, LOU REED surprised the invited audience journalists and arts people, by having STERLING MORRISON and MO TUCKER join them onstage for the first time since splitting up. They performed a seventeen minute version of Heroin. The band officially re-formed in February 1993 and agreed to do a short European tour. (LR396-98)

JULY 4, 1990: BEVERLY GRANT CONRAD DIES.

Beverly Grant Conrad, who appeared in Warhol's Batman Dracula and 13 Most Beautiful Women, died of cancer at the age of 54 in London Ohio. Beverly appeared in Warhol's films under her maiden name, Beverly Grant. She later married Tony Conrad, a pioneer in experimental film and music. Her ashes were spread at a nearby farm that she had hoped would be turned into a hospice for terminally ill cancer patients. (JRC)



1991

1991: GINO PISERCHIO DIES

Pianist/composer GINO PISERCHIO (sometimes spelled Peschio), star of BEAUTY #2, died of AIDS. (VY142)


Paul Jasmine, Gino Piserchio & Unknown man

to: JULY 17, 1965: BEAUTY #2 OPENS

to filmography



1992

JANUARY 1992: BILLY NAME VISITS GERARD MALANGA.

Billy Name, now living in Poughkeepsie, New York visited GERARD MALANGA, now living 45 miles from Billy in Great Barrington. According to Gerard, Billy confessed that he "out of jealousy" crossed out Malanga's name from the photo-ready mechanical for Warhol's Index Book (1967) while Gerard was living in Rome. Previously, Malanga had always assumed that Andy had excised his credit from the book. (GMW130)



1994

1994: ANDY WARHOL IS ELECTED.

Warhol was elected posthumously to the Art Directors Club Hall of Fame. (AWM60)

MAY 25, 1994: ARTIST JOE BRAINARD DIES OF AIDS

Warhol filmed a Screen Test of Brainard on March 3, 1965. (AD42) Some of Brainard's work incorporated the Nancy comic strip which Warhol had also appropriated in the early 1960s.

AUGUST 16, 1994: HENRY GELDZAHLER DIES OF CANCER. (VY129)



1995

1995: STERLING MORRISON DIES OF CANCER.
(www.laweekly.com/ink/02/27/andy-pile.php)



1996

1996: I SHOT ANDY WARHOL OPENS.

Directed by Mary Harron, with original music by John Cale, the film featured Jared Harris as Andy Warhol, Stephen Dorff as Candy Darling and Donovan Leitch (son of folk singer Donovan) as Gerard Malanga. Producer Christine Vachon kept a diary of the shooting of the film. Harron had interviewed Warhol in 1980 for Melody Maker magazine.

JULY 17, 1996: JED JOHNSON DIES.

JED JOHNSON, Andy Warhol's ex-boyfriend died in the TWA 800 plane crash en route from New York to Paris where he was going to check out fabrics as an interior designer. Since he was travelling first class he was killed instantly when the plane split in two from an electrical fire - unlike the passengers seated at the back of the plane who survived the initial explosion only to be catapulted to their death while fully conscious. (www.coupland.com/coupland/drool/00_01_07b.html)

NOVEMBER 11, 1996: RUFUS COLLINS DIES OF AIDS.

Rufus appeared in Couch, a Kiss film, Batman Dracula, Soap Opera and a Screen Test. He later went on to appear in numerous Hollywood films including The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Hunger starring David Bowie. His cremated ashes are held by the Rocky Horror Preservation Foundation.
(www.sweet-transvestites.com/uk/RHPS/Bios/trannies-uk.htm)



1997

1997: THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM GETS THE FILMS.

The Andy Warhol museum acquired ownership of the rights to Andy Warhol's entire film and video work from the Andy Warhol Foundation of the Visual Arts. The museum's collection included 273 preserved Warhol films and almost 4000 videotapes.
(www.warhol.org/collections/film_video.html)



2000

JANUARY 2000: UP YOUR ASS OPENS.

Valerie Solanas' play Up Your Ass is finally given its world premiere in San Francisco, followed by a New York premiere at Performance Space 122 in February 2001.



2001

JAN 14, 2001: FRED HUGHES DIES.

FRED HUGHES, Andy Warhol's business manager, died of complications from multiple sclerosis.

SEPT. 11, 2001: EMPIRE STATE BECOMES TALLEST BUILDING (AGAIN).

After terrorists flew two planes into the World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, star of Andy Warhol's film EMPIRE, once again became the tallest building in New York.

OCT. 2, 2001: PAT AST DIES.

Pat Ast was the overweight landlady of the motel that Joe Dallesandro's character stayed at in HEAT. She died of natural causes in West Hollywood. (NYT1)

DEC. 16, 2001: LESTER PERSKY DIES.

Persky was the man who introduced Warhol to both Baby Jane Holzer and Edie Sedgwick. He was a television/film producer whose credits included Taxi Driver and Shampoo. He died in Los Angeles.



2002

MAY 15 - 26, 2002: HOLLY WOODLAWN IS FETED AT CANNES.

HOLLY WOODLAWN, JOE DALLESANDRO and PAUL MORRISSEY attended the Cannes Festival for a special tribute to Paul Morrissey.

SEPT. 7, 2002: CYRINDA FOXE DIES.

CYRINDA FOXE (born Kathleen Hetzekian) appeared in Andy Warhol's BAD. She died of a cancerous brain tumor in New York. (IMDB)

SEPT. 27, 2002: CHARLES HENRI FORD DIES.

CHARLES HENRI FORD , editor during the 1940s of View magazine, died at the age of 94 while recovering from a fall.

Andy Warhol met Charles Henri Ford at a party given by actress Ruth Ford in the early sixties. Warhol and Ford became friends and attended underground movie screenings together. Ford also introduced Warhol to Gerard Malanga and was with Malanga and Warhol when Warhol bought his first movie camera at Peerless Camera in New York.

OCT. 18, 2002: RICHARD BERNSTEIN DIES.

Richard Bernstein, whose celebrity portraits appeared on the covers of Interview magazine, died at the age of 62 at his home in Manhattan. According to his friend, Lester Glassner, Bernstein died of complications from AIDS. (http://www.arizonarepublic.com/arizona/articles/1103deaths03.html)

Bernstein made a brief appearance in the documentary about Brigid Berlin - Pie In The Sky (2000). In the film, Brigid came across him outside the Chelsea Hotel (where he continued to live) while she was being interviewed.


A photograph of Richard Bernstein painting a
Times Square billboard from the December
1974 issue of Interview magazine.
(photo: Bill King)



2004

JAN. 2004: HOLLY WOODLAWN IS HOSPITALISED.

HOLLY WOODLAWN was admitted to intensive care after complications developed from an operation on a broken arm and shoulder resulting from a fall. Her doctors warned her that she must stay away from alcohol. The New York Post incorrectly reported that she was in a coma.

FEB. 2004: STEPHEN SPROUSE DIES.

Fashion designer STEPHEN SPROUSE, featured on Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes television show, died of lung cancer at the age of fifty. A private ceremony was held by close friends who covered his coffin with graffiti style messages and then left a permanent ink marker in his coffin so that he could "forever write graffiti, no matter where he is." (www.statepress.com)

APRIL 2, 2004: SUPERSTAR IN A HOUSEDRESS WORLD PREMIERE.

Craig Highberger's documentary on Jackie Curtis, Superstar in a Housedress, has its world premiere as part of the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival in England.

AUGUST 14, 2004: THE RETURN OF HOLLY WOODLAWN.

After surviving intensive care Holly Woodlawn makes a comeback, performing her cabaret act at the Fez Under Time cafe in New York.

NOVEMBER 16, 2004: THE ANDY WARHOL BRIDGE.

The Allegheny County Council renames the Seventh Street Bridge in Pittsburgh after Andy Warhol.

DECEMBER 2004: IVY NICHOLSON MAKES A MOVIE.

Ivy Nicholoson returns to Manhattan to direct her movie, The Dead Life.

DECEMBER 17, 2004: TOM WESSELMAN DIES.

Pop artist Tom Wesselman died at the age of 73 after complications following heart surgery.

DECEMBER 28, 2004: SUSAN SONTAG DIES.

Susan Sontag died of leukemia at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan at the age of 71.



2005

JANUARY 2, 2005: THE DEAD LIFE IS SCREENED.

Ivy Nicholson's film The Dead Life is screened at the Gershwin Hotel in New York.

JANUARY 7, 2005: SUZI FRANKFURT DIES.

Suzi Frankfurt, who collaborated with Andy Warhol on Wild Raspberries, died at the Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale, in the Bronx. She was 73 years old. She had moved to the Home for the Aged several years ago, from Norfolk, Connecticut, after treatment for a brain tumor.

JANUARY 25, 2005: PHILIP JOHNSON DIES.

Architect Philip Johnson died at the age of 98 in his famous glass house in Connecticut.

JUNE 12, 2005: DAVID WHITNEY DIES.

Whitney died of lung and bone cancer at the age of 66.
When Andy Warhol and Philip Pearlstein's sublease was up, they found another apartment through the New York Times classifieds - a large second floor room at 323 W. 21st Street which they rented from the dancer Franziska Marie Boas who shared the space with her friend Jan Gay and their large sheepdog named "Name."1 Boas was the daughter of the Prussian-born anthropologist, Franz Boas, who was the first professor of anthropology at Columbia University - a position he held for 37 years. In 1927 he had written a book, Primitive Art, which proposed a theory of dance as an emotional outlet and challenged the racial bias of the then prevalent theories of physical anthropology.2 His daughter, Franziska, also challenged racial bias by organizing multi-racial dance groups and classes. From 1933 to 1950 she ran the Boas School of Dance, with sessions held at the 21st Street apartment. She had divided the large room with a proscenium arch with Warhol and Pearlstein on one side of the arch and her dance classes on the other side. She was particularly keen on improvisational dance and sometimes invited artists to sketch the dancers while they improvised although it is not known whether Warhol participated in any of these sessions.

74 WEST 103RD ST.

In April 1950 Boas was evicted from the commercially zoned property and Warhol and Pearlstein were, again, forced to move. They went their separate ways. In August 1950, Pearlstein married an ex-classmate from Carnegie Tech, Dorothy Cantor, and Warhol was part of the wedding party. One of the first places that Philip and Dorothy lived in was an apartment they got from the artist Lester Johnson on East 4th Street between Avenues A and B.3 Pearlstein returned to school, studying for a Master of Arts degree at New York University's Institute of Fine Arts with a thesis on the Dada artists, Francis Picabia and Marcel Duchamp.4 By the time of Pearlstein's wedding Warhol was living at 74 West 103rd Street.

Warhol shared the 103rd Street apartment with other classmates from Carnegie Tech. including Ellie Simon and Leila Davis. Although Ellie soon returned to Pittsburgh, Davis stayed in New York and took some rare photographs of Warhol during his early years. Another flatmate was Elaine Finsilver who had met some of the other people living in the apartment at a ballet class. Finsilver remembered that Warhol "shared his room with Tommy Quinland, and when Jack Hudson came, Jack moved in. And depending on who came last, there were three beds in the room. It was just a large, bare room except for usually three unmade beds, and Andy had his drawing table, I remember, on the left as you walked into the room... [The drawing table] was a nice taboret. It was like an architectural draftsman table, and he had a light over it. And all over it, he had all of his pens, and ink things were all neatly placed, and everything was in its place, and a lot of masking tape, and that's all... I used to got to my dance class. They [the other flatmates] usually never got up until two or three in the afternoon. So, by the time I got back, they were ready to have breakfast, which was, like six o'clock in the evening... Andy was not at that point in his life what one would call a 'hard worker.'6 Finsilver's characterization of Warhol is the opposite of what Philip Pearlstein remembered when he and Warhol were living together. According to Pearlstein, Warhol was "always a workaholic, obsessive" who worked into the night after Pearlstein had retired to bed.7

One of Finsilver's dates, Robert Fleisher, later recalled his own impressions of Warhol and the other people who lived at 103rd Street.



The 103rd Street Gang - New York 1950
Top row (L): Mata (a girlfriend of Victory Reilly's) and Jack Hudson
Second Row: Joey Ross, Victor (Buddy) Reilly,
Tommy Quinlan, Dale Blosser and Ellie Simon
Kneeling front: Jack (Mitch) Beaber and Andy Warhol
(Photo: Leila Davies Singeles)

Robert Fleisher:

"The first time that I ever saw Andy... he was working at this little desk doing sketches that he was trying to show to the editor of Park East. But in the room were very large canvases in oils. Serious painting somewhat... in the late thirties there was a newsreel of a bombing in China... and on the railroad track, there was a baby screaming - world famous... Andy did a version of that in pastel oils. It was a very large canvas... I thought it was spectacular, and it was partly line drawing with the blotted-line, but it was pastel oils. Now that's very early, way before he was a successful illustrator. I mean, when he had one pair of pants and [was] living in a cellar at 104th Street [sic] and Manhattan Avenue with six people... I became part of their crowd through Elaine and I saw them quite often..."8

Fleisher, as the stationery and gift buyer for Bergdorf Goodman, would later commission Warhol to design stationery for the department store. Henry Kaiser (of Kaiser Aluminium) was so impressed by Warhol's butterfly stationery that he purchased all of the first 60 boxes.9

Robert Fleisher:

"I was a buyer at Bergdorf. When I became the stationery buyer, I thought it would be great for Andy to do stuff for us... I had bought the Butterflies from Andy myself for my own personal collection. I think they were 10 dollars. They were among those that I helped hand paint myself. He had a stack of Butterflies this high, and we were all sitting there filling in, and so forth. But, I remember waking up one morning, racking my brain for a stationery design, looking at the wall, and there was this Andy Butterfly thing, and I said, 'Oh, my god!' and called Andy and he said we would love to do it. And we fixed a price, which Bergdorf paid. And we decided that he would do some party invitations and Christmas cards, and so forth, and he got paid and got the cards - a certain amount of stationery cards and invitations that he wanted for his own use. He complained bitterly for weeks afterwards that he had been taken advantage of and that we had to pay him more after he had signed and agreed and everything was fine. He did that over and over and over again - that he was being cheated, that he should have gotten more, that he had done it as a favour, blah-blah-blah."10

Another person who shared the apartment was Margery Beddow who, like Victor Reilly and Elaine Finsilver, was a dancer. Reilly and Beddow would appear together in the Broadway musical revue Two on the Aisle, which ran from July 1951 to March 1952. Prior to appearing in that production, Reilly had also appeared in the musical comedy, Where's Charley, at the Broadway Theatre. Beddow, who would later write a book on choreographer Bob Fosse, remembered Warhol sketching his roommates and then surprising them with a gift of the drawings in a loose-leaf notebook.11

24TH STREET

According to another ex-student from Carnegie Tech., Joseph Groell, Warhol moved in with him for "a month or two" beginning in November 1950, "until his mother came to New York and he found an apartment, I think in the 70s." According to Groell, "Andy was stuck paying the rent [at 103rd Street] and I think he was the primary tenant. And there were all these bizarre people who came and went and ran up a huge phone bill. And finally Andy, I guess, had too much of it, and couldn't cope with it, and he moved into my place."12

Groell's apartment was located at 24th Street between First and Second Avenue. He remembered Warhol adopting a novel approach when phoning art directors for work. Groell heard Warhol begin his telephone conversations with "Hello, I'm just sitting on my bed here, playing with my yo-yo," and joking with potential employers before asking for commissions: "I planted some bird seed in the park yesterday... would you like to order a bird? And do you have any work for me?"13 By adopting such novel approaches Warhol guaranteed that his name would be remembered by art directors in the highly competitive field of commercial illustration.

1951 - 1952: EAST 75TH STREET

By June 1951, Warhol was living in another apartment registered in Victor Reilly's name at 218 East 75th Street.14 By 1952, Warhol was living next door at 216 East 75th Street. It was while he was living on 75th Street that his mother, Julia, moved in with him from Pittsburgh. She would continue to live with Warhol until the autumn of 1970 when she returned to Pittsburgh for health reasons.15 In June 1952 Warhol had his first exhibition in New York at the Hugo Gallery.

JUNE 1952: THE HUGO GALLERY

Andy Warhol's first pre-Pop exhibition featured a series of drawings inspired by Truman Capote's short stories. Capote's first book, Other Voices, Other Rooms was published in 1948 when Warhol was still at college. Two months prior to Warhol's exhibit at the Hugo, Capote's play, The Grass Harp, had premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theater, with sets and costumes designed by Cecil Beaton.

TRUMAN CAPOTE



Photograph of Truman Capote used on the
book jacket of Other Voices, Other Rooms
(Photo: Harold Halma)

Truman Capote:

"When he was a child, Andy Warhol had this obsession about me and used to write me from Pittsburgh... When he came to New York, he used to stand outside my house, just stand out there all day waiting for me to come out. He wanted to become a friend of mine, wanted to speak to me, to talk to me. He nearly drove me crazy."16

The photograph of Truman that appeared on the dust jacket for Other Voices Other Rooms showing him seductively staring at the camera with his right hand resting above his groin, generated a considerable amount of controversy when it was published. According to Robert Fleisher Warhol was "madly in love" with Capote and "there was a photograph of Truman Capote on a couch, stretched out in a plaid vest, and that's what sent him [Warhol] off provisionally. As I remember, he had that around all the time and talked about it... it's from the back of Other Voices, Other Rooms..."16a

Truman Capote:

"I started writing when I was eight - out of the blue, uninspired by any example. I'd never known anyone who wrote; indeed, I knew few people who read... By the time I was seventeen, I was an accomplished writer... I sent off stories to the principal literary quarterlies, as well as to the national magazines... and stories by me duly appeared in those publications. Then, in 1948, I published a novel: Other Voices, Other Rooms. It was well received critically, and was a best seller. it was also, due to an exotic photograph of the author on the dust jacket, the start of a certain notoriety that has kept close step with me these many years. Indeed, many people attributed the commercial success of the novel to the photograph."16b

Warhol and Capote did eventually become friends. In 1973 Rolling Stone magazine commissioned Capote to write an article about the band, The Rolling Stones, and sent him on tour with them. When he came back without having written anything, the magazine asked Warhol to interview Capote about the tour. Warhol was accompanied by Bob Colacello who was, at the time, a contributing editor of Interview magazine. Early in the interview Warhol explains to Colacello that, "I used to write to Truman every day for years until his mother told me to stop it." When Truman says that he doesn't remember his mother doing that, Warhol responds, "She did. She called me up and said it. She was really sweet." Capote then replies, "She was drunk."17 Later in the interview Capote explains his reaction to Warhol's questioning:

Truman Capote: "You said something to me that really startled me when you came to the house today... You said that my mother telephoned you. I was absolutely startled. Really startled."

Andy Warhol: "You were? Why?"

Truman Capote: "Because my mother really was an alcoholic."

Andy Warhol: "But I met your mother."

Truman Capote: "I know you met my mother. But my mother was a very ill woman, and a total alcoholic... she was an alcoholic when you met her. She had been an alcoholic since I was 16, so she was an alcoholic when you met her... she had this sort of sweet thing, and then suddenly she'd - well you know she committed suicide."

Andy Warhol: "She did? Oh, I didn't know that. I thought she just got sick."

Truman Capote: "No, no, no, no. She committed suicide."18

It is interesting to note that neither Andy nor Truman mention meeting each other prior to the death of Capote's mother, Nina, who committed suicide in 1954.19 In the Rolling Stone interview, Warhol says that he met Capote's mother but does not claim to have met Truman during the same period. Yet several Warhol biographers have maintained that they did meet each other during Warhol's early years in New York.

ALEXANDRE IOLAS

The exhibition of Warhol's Capote inspired drawings ran at the Hugo Gallery from June 16 - July 3, 1952. The Hugo had been founded in 1944 by Robert Rothschild, Elizabeth Arden and Maria Hugo who was married to author Victor Hugo's grandson. In 1947 the gallery had hosted Bloodflames, a show of Surrealists which included work by Gorky and Matta. At the time of Warhol's show, the director of the gallery was Alexandre Iolas, assisted by David Mann, the gallery's manager. Iolas would also be responsible for Warhol's last exhibition when, in January 1987, he showed Warhol's Last Supper paintings in Milan at the Palazzo delle Stelline, across from the Church of Santa Maria della Grazie which housed Leonardo's Last Supper. Iolas had commissioned Warhol to do his version of Leonardo's painting in early 1986.



Alexandre Iolas
As a dancer in 1929(L)/With his doberman, Frida (R)

Alexandre Iolas (ca. 1984):

"Early on, I did an exhibition of Andy Warhol in my gallery... The boy is a very important artist, Andy, because he helped America. He mixes very much with youth, and with all the chic people - you know, the bums. When you have such a stupid expression as Andy has - when he is being silent, before the smile starts - when you look like that, you can do anything you want in the world. As Christ said to all those priests, 'Suffer the little children to come unto me,' and Warhol is a horrible child. He has helped America to get rid of its puritanism, either with his half-pornographic, half esthetic films or else with his portraits of the fake stars he has around him and the real stars he has always liked. He's an amazing person, and probably someday he will be considered a saint."35

Iolas, born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1908, came from a dance background. After studying ballet in Berlin he fled to Paris during Hitler's rise to power in the 1930s. In Paris he continued to study dance and socialized with artists such as Jean Cocteau, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst and Man Ray. After moving to New York he was able to draw on these artistic contacts when he quit dancing in order to concentrate on his career as an art dealer. After working at the Hugo gallery, he founded the Jackson-Iolas Gallery in 1955 with former dancer, Brooks Jackson and later opened galleries in Paris, Milan, Madrid and Mexico City. He died of AIDs in June 1987 - just four months after Warhol had died in the same hospital in New York.

At the time of his death, Iolas was embroiled in his own Greek tragedy. Anonis Nikolaou, a transvestite who called himself Maria Kallas, had been employed by Iolas at his home in Greece. In 1985 Iolas fired Kallas for "acute alcoholism, pathological lying," and stealing "small but valuable" objects from Iolas' collection. Kallas fought back. He publicly accused Iolas of "antiquities smuggling, drug peddling, and the prostitution of young men," naming the former president, Konstantine Karamanlis, as a frequent visitor to orgies hosted by Iolas. The Greek daily newspaper, Avriani, published Iolas' home number and urged readers to phone him and "curse" him. Greek film director, Costa Gavras circulated an open letter in support of the art dealer signed by 150 cultural and political heavyweights, including French president Francois Mitterand. In spite of this, the district attorney told Iolas that he would be charged with prostitution, possession of drugs and smuggling antiquities. He was ordered to present himself to the Greek courts on July 17, 1987, but by the time the court date came up, he was already dead.38