~NANCY SMITH / PRECOG THOUGHTS / ALFREDO MARTINEZ . . GUNS, GUNS, GUNS / INDUSTRIAL 1990s

Industrial, back then . . 1990s


ALFREDO MARTINEZ, assembling DIY guns from various found & commercial parts.
EXIT ART, NYC / MARCH 25, 1999
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH

someone said, I said ‘Guns’ about 100 times, ok maybe 30 . . during my Precog interview. Lord.
20 years ago – was such a different time.
Alfredo traveling around to his various exhibits, with a small metal suitcase assembling his guns from a mix of found,
& commercial gun parts was as close to skills, craft, DIY & industrial – as it got / back then.

for me personally, being a quilter, who did mostly hand-stitched textile / fabric repair with both new & vintage material . . it was totally fascinating to see someone, and especially someone who came from a very different background than my own – piece together gun hardware from various parts. a resourceful / creative scavenger – basically just like me. except with very opposite materials, with very very opposite functions.
but, still about . . guarding the homefront, esp way way back then / all the way to colonial / Revolutionary times.

a DIY craft / skills person just like me, when craft & skills were words to be looked down upon – in the art wold.
and Industrial art – what was that ?

ps: ALFREDO . . will be curating / presenting a big huge hardcore group show, ‘FOLO’ next month / April 15 . . on 23rd St. between 10th & 11th Avenues.

I will be exhibiting a big, brand new . . paper quilt, a ‘tribute’ quilt to Alfredo,
on the occasion of his most Aires Birthday !!
comprised of archival photographs, & some of his old / archival exhibition card invites.
see you – there !!