” Spellbinding one-sitting read” Kenny Schachter
Reading & Booksigning | Keyes Art-Sag Harbor | Thursday, July 14th 5-7pm
”This book is a hilarious and harrowing account of a decisive period in the New York art world. One is seldom given a subject as remarkable as Rene Ricard, and William Rand did not waste it. With the skill of Maupassant he chronicles a dissolute social milieu, showing how a remarkable group of artists lived
and died. It’s everything you won’t learn by reading art history.”
~Raymond Foye
Writer, Editor, Curator, Publisher
Excerpt:
Rene and I are at Cave Canem and we run into Larry Rivers, Rene is thrilled, and Larry jumps at the chance to visit my studio. After I let us in, Rene waves his arms over my paintings like a conductor, proudly showing off my work to this celebrated artist. Larry studies the work with great care. The visit is both serious and fun. “Look at the gay umbrella!" says Rene, and he points to my wide painting of the fellow with the umbrella. Larry leans forward and smiles. It is like we are on a road trip and the painting is a windshield. The painting is called Crime Wave. ~William Rand