Robert Carrithers

New York Portraits 2010: Richard Lowenstein

I was in New York last October to be in and to help curate the Club 57 Art Show and to film the Mudd Club reunion. I did as much as I could in New York with the time that I had. I found out, much to my surprise, two days before leaving, that Richard Lowenstein was in New York. Last year Richard sent me on an Odyssey through Prague, Vienna and Berlin filming interviews for his documentary film about Rowland S. Howard. I battled with an Icelandic volcano to interview Lydia Lunch from Prague to Vienna. I struggled with technical difficulties and the decadent debauchery demons of Berlin (Chris Hughes being one of them) to interview Oliver Schutz, Christoph Dreher, Mark Reeder, Mick Harvey, Thomas Wydler, John Murphy and Steve Morell. I completed the interviews in Prague with Phil Shoenfelt, Pavel Cingl, La Petite Sonja and Hank Manchini. I enjoyed the journey very much. I was able to discover some really fascinating special people and got to know them. Some of them are friends, so it was nice to work with them and I also made new friends as a result. All in all it was work, but a nice experience. It was a pleasure to work with Richard and for me it was and is most important to help and contribute in some way in the memory and total respect of the unique talent and personality of Rowland S. Howard. 

It was totally unexpected and amazing to meet Richard in New York. It was my last night in New York. I had a small going away party at the Horse Shoe Bar on Avenue B and 7th Street in the East Village. Those last few days in New York were hectic and I was in contact with Richard by email and let him know about the going away party. I did not expect him to turn up that night because of his busy schedule in New York, but sure enough he was there. It was nice to finally meet him. We had never met before. We were only in contact by email and phone. This was our first face to face meeting. I was very exhausted from all the running around, but got a second wind that night. It felt like some circle had been completed. He introduced me to some of his friends and I introduced him to fellow filmmaker Nick Zedd. Australian cinema visionary meets East Village cinema of transgression. An interesting combination to watch. That was my memory of that night anyway and I hope to meet Richard sometime soon when I have had some sleep. 

What to write about Richard? For me he is a filmmaker who is a true visionary and he was way way ahead of his time. (ten years to be exact) He made his film "Dogs in Space" in 1986. It has a strong chopping chaos that captured the turbulent world of musician's lives in Melbourne. Richard made this film ten years before the film "Trainspotting" that very much works with the same sort of themes and styles. He made ground-making films prior to that with "Evictions" and "Strikebound" and won numerous awards. In between and after all this Richard made a lot of music videos and worked closely with the bands INXS and U2. Richard won five MTV Video Music Awards in 1988 for his work on INXS "Need You Tonite/Meditate" music videos. He went onto make what I consider another revolutionary film "He Died with a Felafel in His Hands" from the John Birmingham novel. It was incredible that Richard was able to make a film out of a series of anecdotes about living in share houses in Brisbane and other cities in Australia. It was considered unfilmable. The film with it's wonderful cinematography (Andrew de Groot), captures the psychology of each Australian city and the youth of each city with their day to day existence. He has co-produced the satirical australian music TV series John Safran's Music Jamboree and John Safron Vs God. Richard is a partner in the Melbourne based production Company Ghost Pictures and is also a partner in the feature film production company Fandango Australia Pty Ltd with Italian producer Domenico Procacci. There is so much more to write about Richard. I am just touching the surface here. Please click on the highlighted name/words above to find out further information. I am pleased to write that Ghost Pictures is producing the film "Rowland S. Howard: Autoluminescent" and that I am happy to be involved in it. If anyone can make a film about Rowland S. Howard, certainly Richard, the filmmaker wizard of Oz is the only one and the right one who can make that magic happen.

New York Portraits 2010: Bernd Naber

I went to an art gallery opening while I was in New York and of course I saw Bernd Naber. I would be disappointed if I didn't. I remembered Bernd from early 80's New York through the 90's. Every time I went to a happening gallery opening, a club opening or some really special event, Bernd would be there. I always thought that he had several clones running around New York City. I did not know how he managed to be in so many places at once. So, when I was back in New York, I was very pleased to see Bernd at every happening that I went to New York. I would have been severely upset if I did not see him. He is originally from Hamburg. Bernd is an artist and has been living in New York since 1975. He is always learning and enjoying. Please click on Bernd's name above to find out further information about him.

New York Portraits 2010: The Countess Cali Moocho

This is the Countess Cali Moocho making her appearance at a New York gallery opening after a long day of shopping for a hat. She has to get back to France to fly her plane. Her passion is flying her plane and forgetting about earthly realities. She always has a smile for everyone and a nice laugh too!

New York Portraits 2010: Michael Carter

I have known Michael Carter for quite awhile and we have shared many adventures together. He is known to be one of the last true beatniks living in the East Village. He is a writer, poet and a Zen beer master. To give an example beer mysticism: A Zen beer master, a Taoist beer master and Michael Carter walk in to a bar. The bartender comes over and asks what they will have, the the Zen beer master says: 'that which can be called beer is not the true beer...'the Taoist beer master stares at the bowl of peanuts, after a while he ceases to see the peanuts; he no longer sees the bowl, then after another while he once again sees the peanuts and bowl as before... finally Michael Carter opening his third eye looks over at the others and says: 'I'll have what they're having...'

Michael is an East Village icon of sorts or sorted. Michael has produced thousands of art events in New York. He produced, created and participated in wacky art happenings, readings, musical performances and video presentations. He has appeared as his alter ego "Vindaloo" creating artistic ruckus and mayhem in his path. He is more known for being a poet giving fiery readings in cafes and clubs. He was also the editor and publisher of Redtape literary magazine. The East Village magazine communicated innovative artistic ideas with the collaboration of writers, artists and visual artists. Redtape featured comics, fiction, poetry, graphic art, and photography. It also provided a venue for both established and emerging artists and writers of the downtown New York scene. It was published between the years 1980 to 1992 and had a strong impact on the New York downtown scene. Michael would have monthly Redtape events with readings, art shows and music.

Michael formed a band in the 80's/90's with Julius Klein called Vacuum Bag. They were known for their wild shows and the unexpected behaviour of the singer, Michael Carter. Michael would often lose himself with emotion, go in a trance and jump from table to table, standing on bars half naked screaming. Unfortunately Vacuum Bag does not exist anymore, but you can still catch Michael Carter reading his poems in a dark bar or cafe. He really is the last Beatnik and one hell of a beer mystic. He is a full pledged member of the writer's beer mystic group The Unbearables. Michael is a featured writer in their various publications such as"Between C & D" and "Peau Sensible".  Michael is the author of a book of poems called, "Broken Noses and Metempsychosis".

Michael Carter sometimes goes into a trance while reading and has visions. He is a strongly influenced by existentialism. He must have been channeling prophecy with the following, from his 1982 poem: “terror is released in lower manhattan/and the terrorists neither carry guns/nor subvert the state/but simply buy it off with promises."

The best way to close is to read one of Michael's poems. It speaks for itself.

La Mairie '89

Nearly full moon, black Jewish star
Lofted above inscrutable, cabalic hebrew
Same street where only fifty years ago
Hitler's dicks rounded up the usual suspects
And dispatched them to eternity
While Cocteau behind shuttered doors
Bewailed bold Eurydice's plight
And Picasso played socialist apostle
Both of 'em prancing bacchanals
Upon these high gates which once boasted
The skewered heads of nobility
Oui, in Paris this year they celebrate the guillotine
Doubtless the apex of Western Civ...
There's a slight slope to these streets
How the blood must run easily
Into the gutters
Like fresh spring rain

New York Portraits 2010: Lucy

This is Lucy! Lucy has a bar in the East Village on Avenue A between St. Marks Place and 9th Street.... 135 Avenue A to be exact! A real dive bar!!! The real thing! It is just a long bar, a room with tables, a pool table and a juke box. Oh, yes, the stinky toilets too! There used be quite a few Polish dive bars in the East Village and this is the survivor. So many things have changed in New York, especially the East Village! I remember going into Lucy's bar in the 80's in New York. Cheap drinks and friendly Lucy greeting you as you came into the door. If you had several drinks, she would always give you one free. I had many a late night there. It was always a good place to go for a talk and a drink. If we had a problem, it was the place to go and talk, usually it always lasted longer than what we wanted and it was 4 am before we knew it. Lucy has been an East Village institution as long as I could remember. I was happy to see her behind the bar, full of energy and talking to the customers as usual. Lots of things always change in New York, but then again, there are some things that remain. Lucy must be in her 80's. I hope she keeps going strong. Here she is, as usual every night in New York, talking to a familiar bar customer. Good ol' Lucy!