Monday, January 24, 2011

"Just Kids"

I picked up the book "Just Kids" by Patti Smith a couple of weeks ago because I was interested in her recollections of her relationship with the photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe and I found the book to be very interesting, especially the early years when Smith left home and moved to New York. The story of her meeting up with Mapplethorpe and moving in with him as they both pursued their artistic careers was fascinating in the poverty level they endured as well as the intensity with which they grew as artists.

The tales of their early years in New York made me envious of the artistic community that they were surrounded with and left me wondering what it's like up there now. I have long been a Mapplethorpe fan and had the good fortune to see an exhibit of his work at The Nexus Cooperative in Atlanta. It's too bad that so much of his work is deemed unsuitable for large public gallery spaces.

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