~ART CLUB 2000 – A LOOK BACK: 1970 !!

NEXT UP – WHAT ELSE IS THE NEW YEAR GOOD FOR – BUT, A LOOK BACK ?

WE’VE GOT SOME ARCHIVAL PIX – FROM the DANNY McDONALD / ART CLUB 2000 – SUMMER 1997 EXHIBIT: ‘1970’ – at COLIN de LAND’S AMERICAN FINE ARTS – WHEN IT HEADLINED THE EDGE – in SOHO !!

artlovers’ roaming contributor, music critic, party crasher and big mouth – SIMON CERIGO – was one of the artists featured in the show . . . which asked: “where were you – in 1970?”.

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SIMON CERIGO, with daughter, KATE CERIGO in tow, rides up to the opening, MAY 26, 1997.
Kate was 11. Simon was 45.
Simon’s t-shirt reads: THE ABSOLUTE SOUND – always the cutting edge audiophile & music fan – Simon was a devout follower of high end music electronics – on which to hear that cutting edge music – and ‘THE ABSOLUTE SOUND’ – was the high end audiophile bible of the time.

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sitting in the window – looking at the camera – CHARLIE FINCH !! as JOHN WATERS – strolls by !!
ART CLUB 2000, ‘1970’ – COLIN de LAND AMERICAN FINE ARTS. SOHO, NYC. MAY 26 1997.
it was the summer show and ran till SEPT 1, 1997.

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KATE on the gallery front steps.

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the gallery also had one of those ubiquitous Soho banners.

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ART CLUB / 1970 – the sign for the show.

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yep, that’s DANIEL aka DANNY McDONALD – in the red T.

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the youngest member of ART CLUB 2000, and Simon says: the best looking, CRAIG WADLIN in the theme appropriate paisley shirt Simon on the right. and yeah, Simon does need shades indoors. you know what that means, don’t ya ?
. . . ‘medicated’ out of his skull. what else is new.

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DANIEL McDONALD tinkers with the video installation. different interviews ran on the different monitors at the same time. when it worked.
ok, so what ART CLUB 2000 did for this exhibit, ‘1970’ – was they asked several, mostly well known artists, (Simon was the least known), in a taped interview: “Where were you in 1970 ?”
Simon’s answer, that won him a one-way ticket into this insider club ?
“I was in Providence Town, MASS hanging out with JOHN WATERS and DIVINE, the whole group. at a dive bar called PIGGY’S TRUCKSTOP – where I was the DJ. I was 18. I had been at WOODSTOCK – the summer before.”
some of the other artists interviewed: VITO ACCONCI, ISA GENZKEN, LES LEVINE. ALEX KATZ, CAROLEE SCHNEEMAN & HENRY FLYNT. just goes to show ya, how fleeting fame is, and Simon is probably still the most interesting, edgey, and most unknown – not to mention, baddest – of the lot !! and the only one you’ll still see out on the scene – ok. sometimes JOHN WATERS pops up – but he wasn’t interviewed.

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CHARLIE FINCH on the couch, Kate next to him.

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in the center, that’s a (younger) WALTER ROBINSON. on the right is his ex-wife.

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MR. KNOW IT ALL. SIMON CERIGO.
ART CLUB 2000 – ‘1970’. COLIN de LAND AMERICAN FINE ARTS.
MAY 26, 1997.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH

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‘Untitled’ (Paramount Hotel/Nude). 8 x 10 in. C-print. 1992-93
an early ART CLUB 2000 – self-produced image !!
yes, that’s a bleached blonde DANIEL McDONALD, in the dark socks !! on the extreme left.
the only real break-out artist of the group, would be photographer PATTERSON BECKWITH, in the center, his face just above the back haired Asian beauty.
ART CLUB 2000 – a group of intense (7 members at the max) art students from COOPER UNION – was initiated under the guiding hand and auspices of COLIN de LAND, back in 1992.
the image is from the ART CLUB 2000 – web archive: Between Bridges: ART CLUB 2000
you can also score a little more info on them, here: ART CLUB 2000
(CRAIG WADLIN’S PHOTOGRAPHY website.)

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(another ghost of Xmas past) – COLIN de LAND.
ART CLUB 2000 – ‘Untitled (Individuals of Style Portrait, Studio Sample with Colin de land). 11 x 14 in. digital print. unique, 1993.
posted on: Between Bridges: ART CLUB 2000