An Artist Visits

I've been kind of scarce around here, in part because I've been preparing for Capsule's final show, which opens this Friday. I just got back from the airport and picking up a visiting artist from Paris, who, unbelievably, I met through a posting on Craigslist. He had posted his website in the artists community section, and I instantly responded to his work and struck up an email conversation. His work had similarities to mine, so at first we were talking artist to artist, but then I decided to just invite him to show here. (Without for a minute thinking of what that might entail!)

That was two years ago. In the time since then he has sent me over 800 collages that we will be wallpapering the gallery with. He's staying at my friend Kay's house (one of the Boom people who has a studio at Capsule), we just went and dropped him off and had some wine and French chocolates. (Kay and her husband lived in France, too, and her husband just came back from a business trip there with the chocolates.)

Matthew is very interesting. He's an American expat who grew up in Long Island, and practically obsessive compulsive in his art making, which I so admire. I've been talking to him a lot over skype, so I already felt like I knew him, although I was nervous meeting him at the airport. Luckily I recognized him right away, and we easily fell into conversation. He was a friend of Ray Johnson's and very involved in the mail art movement, and he's also a writer who writes for Art & Antiques and The New York Times, among other publications. He's lived in France for 14 years now, and hasn't visited the U.S. in awhile -- he seems to be experiencing a bit of culture shock, almost.

Tomorrow we'll meet down at the gallery and begin laying out the show, which will be floor to ceiling, wall to wall art. I've set up several artist talks at schools, and next Monday we'll say goodbye by screening "How to Draw a Bunny" (about Ray Johnson), and Matthew will talk about him at a fabulous little bar that has a film screening room in the back.

It should be an interesting week. I'll try to post an update!