Near the Tiber River
Yesterday I bought a coffetable book: LIVING IN ROME. From the book I see that Joseph Kosuth's house is near mine-- at Palazzo Santacroce near Campo dei Fiore. His studio (no paint just computer and books, you know, conceptual) is across the way near the Latin-American Institute with it's kinky grotto-like rocaille fountain.
Art "lives" through influencing other art, not by existing as the physical residue of an artist's ideas. The reason that different artists from the past are "brought alive" again is because some aspect of their work becomes "usable" by living artists. 'Joseph Kosuth'
During the time I was still teaching anatomia artistica at the Academy of Fine Arts here in Rome, I heard Kosuth speak at the Liceo Artistico. One of my students got his phone number and I called trying to get him involved in a project relating to anatomy. He was very pleasant but very managerial suggesting that, in participating, I would be able to take advantage of the fame he had but that I didn't.
Another artist that has a house near Campo dei Fiore and who is also very managerial is Mark Kostabi. I met Kostabi years ago when I was represented by Santo Ficaro in Florence. Santo was organizing an exhibiton for Kostabi. Santo didn't speak English and asked if I'd go to Florence to help translate. Kostabi and I posed together for alot of photos by Carlo Fei. I'm very embarassed posing but Kostabi was great. He went through a sequence of stock poses. A good idea to have if you're often photographed. The next day Kostabi invited me to lunch. He was very nice. Said that he'd just gotten out of a relationship which was wreaking him up because, he said, Without love I crumble. About 3 years ago I saw him at an exhibition at The American Academy in Rome. He didn't remember me. So I tried refereshing his memory by asking him to collaborate on another project I was working on at the time (wow, I use to have so many projects involving others...not anymore). But he said he was too busy composing music. Every so often I see him walking around Campo dei Fiore. He always has his hands full of shopping bags.
Kostabi works with Pio Monti, an art dealer I, too, have worked with. Only Pio buys Kostabi's paintings. Mine, instead, he's takes without paying. But Pio is very entertaining so if you're ever in town, visit the gallery: GALLERIA PIO MONTI, Via Pietro della Valle 2 (Prati), Roma.
Alain Fleischer took the photos for the book I mentioned above. I met Fleischer years ago at a dinner. He had done an installation for a show organized by Franco Posa of Arte in Comune, Gli Angeli sopra Roma. Using a video installation, Fleischer made the angels of Ponte Sant’Angelo talk. I liked the work alot because it was, you know, fun. I invited Fleischer to the Academy to speak to my students. He did. The women went wild because the guy is really sexy. Aesthetics is also attitude.
ROMAN RELATED LINKS: a site for exploring the Column of Trajan as a sculptural monument via plep--This image is a reconstruction of the ancient city of Rome. --Roman Architecture in the City of Rome--Maps of Rome --Hey! Welcome to Rome! It's about time you got here, you are about to visit the most wonderful city ever--Rome resources--This page lists sites that focus primarily on the actual city of Rome--the city of rome color coded
