Sent on a loop by a recent publication:
The Downtown Book
The New York Scene 1974-1984
Published by Princeton University Press
in collaboration with Grey Art Gallery in
conjunction with the art show of the same name not so lately exhibited at the Grey Art Gallery.
Empress Chi Chi Valenti has a totally whack writting about the pure nature of 'downtown' attire that was an exterior manifestation of undomesticated soul. "No one called it downtown, it was just our universe." -Or something like that. There is a scathingly gorgeous face-obscuring photo by the equally gorge ex-pat Michael James O'Brien of the Empress.
But then I have to guffaw because on page 150 in the section of the book about 'downtown' writting there is a citation of a poem that appeared in the American Book Award-winning, groundbreaking anthology published by Simon and Schuster, 'Aloud, Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Cafe' (check out the back cover of THAT book at any Barnes and Noble the next time you float past the poetry section for a nice group photo including the fab Bobby Miller, main engine behind J-60's Verbal Abuse series). The citation in The Downtown Book quotes, "that's what happens / when language has a landord." And attributes it to "Pete Skiff". LOL
I luv obscurity.
