alexgildzen

1) Your artwork is beyond original and unique, and I've only seen a few
pieces. Tell me about one of your favorite pieces; how it was born, its impact
on your world, and where it is now?

THE LAST VALENTINE OF THE 20th CENTURY

one rainy sunday afternoon in Santa Fe I found a flower pressd in a
book. I knew I'd savd that blossom for a reason & that that pressd
flower wasn't alone. I began to hunt for more of the hidden garden.
knowing that when I'm gone such keepsakes will be tossd   I decid'd to
plant them together so that I cd share the happiness they brought me
with a few of the people abt whom I care. I crumbld the preservd
memories into an antique coffee can (Guthrie's Elite Blend from Elyria)
given to me by my parents. being both archivist & listmaker   I wrote down
their origins.

here then   dear friend   is a part of the life I so much enjoy living
a potpourri from the past to brighten yr future.

one white rose petal from the bridal bouquet of Helen Stevenson Meyner (1957)
a lily-of-the-valley worn by Jean-Claude van Itallie to the premiere of
his adaptation of "Medea" (1979)
blossom of the nite-blooming cereus Dimitri Karageorgiou came to see on
his first visit (1986)
a baby lemon & its twig from the tree my parents gave me (1988)
a chocolate lily gatherd at Denali National Park (1989)
red geranium petals pickd at the grave of Yannis Ritsos in Monemvasia (1992)
an anonymous grass from the ground of La Posada de Santa Fe (1993)
blue hosta blossoms from the backyard of 1129 Morris rd in Kent (1994)
eucalyptus from Mother to keep the car smelling fresh on the drive to
New Mexico (1994)
a succulent transplantd from Bodega Bay (1994)
to remind me of the two best seasons of my boyhood: magnolia blossoms
from the tree in my parents' front yard & a crimson maple leaf pickd
during a walk in Elyria (1995)
a red rose from Dimitri (1996)
a sprig from Nancy & Paul Metcalf's mint bed (1997)
a spray of duranta repens pluckd poolside at Chateau Marmont on the 20th
anniversary of my first stay (1997)
day lilies sent by Karen & John Ericson to Dimitri before he left for
the monastery (1998)
yellow mums pickd in Provincetown (1998)

___________________________________________

this was printd out & sent along with sachets containing a mixture of
the above to 18 friends in feb 1999. I know that Jean-Claude van
Itallie framed his & has it on the wall of one of the guest rooms in his
place in the Berkshires. I have no idea what's become of the others.

I don't think I have a favorite. the inception of a piece excites me.
its creation is oxygen. to believe any work of mine will acquire a
history is a hope but I suspect a vain one.

2) What work of art inspired a piece by yourself?

I was 21 when I wrote a haiku after seeing Sessue Hayakawa in
"Bridge on the River Kwai." 41 years later I wrote "Brad Pitt's Thighs"
after seeing "Troy." film has always been a major inspiration. but
anything around me can provoke a work of writing or art. "Ten from
Tenn" was a response to the Tennessee Williams commemorative stamp.
"Icebox Beauties of 1999" began after replacing pictures on the front of
my fridge. "Pin-Ups" happend after viewing photographs.

art generates more art.

3) Is any of your artwork on display anywhere?

because my work is mostly conceptual it doesn't adapt to
museums. at least 2 pieces are available on online galleries:

MIRROR PROJECT

FIVE MILLION

however the good news is that I've brought together most of the
work into a book -- Making Circles -- which I hope will be out before
year's end.

picturd: Alex Gildzen in pieces.
Alex's Blog