I knew Barton Benes. I still have some shredded currency from his memorial service (at which his friend and patron Larry Hagman spoke). His incredible Westbeth studio has been reproduced at the North Dakota Museum of Art in Grand Forks.
My BF in the early 80’s sublet a Westbeth studio from John Ashbery, who had moved to a larger place in Chelsea. He would dutifully pay John the monthly rent but John would often forget to pay it and eviction notices would regularly appear under the door.
I lived nearby in a building on Horatio called the West Coast. It was one of the earliest conversions of old meatpacking buildings to new rentals. I was told it had been used as a meat refrigeration warehouse before the renovation; despite all the modern trappings the roaches still ruled the roost.
Downtown Manhattan. Everything was so wide-open then. With strange reminders of Socialist dreams like Westbeth and the frantic energy and the sad stories all mixed up with the normal people and their little factories and delis, etc.
For me, Westbeth was a thing of an older generation (not that I wouldn't have jumped at a chance to live there), but that was how the city was. Generations with their own histories living their own lives, all together simply because people weren't being priced out and forced to move away.
Two generations of younger artists have moved into the building (some of them grew up there). And although the rents have increased, they're still a fraction of those in lower Manhattan. However, the waiting list is now 15 years, and closed.
Looking forward to getting the book. Barton Benes had an exhibition at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan Wisconsin while I was doing an internship there, 1981. I’m guessing his roach motel pieces came from Westbeth!
Hi Rachel. Yes, I turned paid subs off because I knew I wasn't going to be posting content with any regularity for awhile and I didn't want paying subscribers to be charged for nothing. But its a problem for people who might want to read old content and I'm sorry for that. I wonder if there is a way to resolve the issue, I will ask SStack
I knew Barton Benes. I still have some shredded currency from his memorial service (at which his friend and patron Larry Hagman spoke). His incredible Westbeth studio has been reproduced at the North Dakota Museum of Art in Grand Forks.
My BF in the early 80’s sublet a Westbeth studio from John Ashbery, who had moved to a larger place in Chelsea. He would dutifully pay John the monthly rent but John would often forget to pay it and eviction notices would regularly appear under the door.
I lived nearby in a building on Horatio called the West Coast. It was one of the earliest conversions of old meatpacking buildings to new rentals. I was told it had been used as a meat refrigeration warehouse before the renovation; despite all the modern trappings the roaches still ruled the roost.
Hi, Peter went to the North Dakota Museum; he describes it in the book!
Sincere thanks for this beautiful story. I needed reminding why we need art in our lives and this did it for me.
Love this. Thank you!
Downtown Manhattan. Everything was so wide-open then. With strange reminders of Socialist dreams like Westbeth and the frantic energy and the sad stories all mixed up with the normal people and their little factories and delis, etc.
For me, Westbeth was a thing of an older generation (not that I wouldn't have jumped at a chance to live there), but that was how the city was. Generations with their own histories living their own lives, all together simply because people weren't being priced out and forced to move away.
Two generations of younger artists have moved into the building (some of them grew up there). And although the rents have increased, they're still a fraction of those in lower Manhattan. However, the waiting list is now 15 years, and closed.
Looking forward to getting the book. Barton Benes had an exhibition at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan Wisconsin while I was doing an internship there, 1981. I’m guessing his roach motel pieces came from Westbeth!
Hi Mary, I'm trying to get a paid subscription for Out of It but there doesn't seem to be an option to do that. Any idea of what's going on?
Hi Rachel. Yes, I turned paid subs off because I knew I wasn't going to be posting content with any regularity for awhile and I didn't want paying subscribers to be charged for nothing. But its a problem for people who might want to read old content and I'm sorry for that. I wonder if there is a way to resolve the issue, I will ask SStack