Jim was posting up his signs making it clear he needs funding. Every artist needs patrons it is true. I was rushing to meet my Mom and he shouted out the news and I said, Yes and I contacted the newspapers about Cooper moving his art memorial 9-11 planter to the curb. I am praying them come out because it is our neighborhood's story as well as Jim's.
Jim was convinced Cooper Union (an art school) want to throw it out.
I called Lorcan Otway and asked him to photograph Jim because I had to run to meet Mom.
Here is a link to my favorite which is Jesse -- I see Jesse as his emotional seeing eye dog and yes I got the reference to Michelangelo painting. I called Lorcan and he it was unconscious and his impetus for this very moving image was the paint on Jesse's paws and Jim's hands.
This photo breaks my heart. I have a Lorcan Otway photo I keep hidden behind a motorcycle photo because it is just too sad. It was when Jim and Jesse where living out in the street when we were having the typhoon like down pours and she is sitting with what appears to be so much dignity and beauty like a lotus flower in front of the make shift tent by the garbage dumpster.
I just want to cry.
On a light note I always like to point out Jesse Jane is her name and she is not the porn star but Jim's emotional seeing eye dog that helps him navigate this world.
Cooper has moved his 9-11 tribute to the rescue workers, our FDNY, NYPD with a stunning image of the skyline in a community memorial planter and Cooper Union with it's vast real estate could only find one location for Honest Abe and Peter Cooper's visages and that was to displace Jim's memorial. Honest Abe, one of our most humble superstars would I am sure have said place my image some where else or prefer not to be on display and Peter Cooper is rolling in his grave at Cooper Union's throw away treatment of the community, our history and his focus on educating people in need rather than real estate wheelings and dealing and high price public relations, high powered attorneys to beat our community's law suits down.
Jim Power is an artist in need and the most prolific East Village artist under the most dire circumstances and Cooper Union the real estate magnate tossed his 9-11 memorial to the curb for garbage pick up.
You can read more of my feelings about this posted early on this blog.
For more of Lorcan's photos click here....
