Last week I walked into Miguel Abreau Gallery on Orchard Street to see Adrian Dannett. The smartly dressed Welsh writer, comedic child actor, discerning art spiv, poetic flaneur, global interlocutor, and arcane curator, was busy at work on a computer, messaging interested parties to schedule a tete-a-tete viewing of his art collection and promote his literary collection of obituaries DOOMED AND FAMOUS.
His wry smile betrayed the stress of time stolen from his dedication to erudite lassitude.
Opposite sat his editor Katherine, who gleefully recounted a tale of my calling the young drinkers at unheated tables on a Canal Street sidewalk, “Squares.”
Her friends were aghast at my weird old man judgment of their lives.
“I know him.”
“How?”
“Through Adrian.”
Some time in the 90s I attended a West 57th Street art opening and a beautiful blonde British model came up to me.
She pointed out a well-dressed, yet tattered man, looking very much like a middle-aged D’Artagnan.
Curious as to how annoying someone could be, I went over and introduced myself.
“I know you.”
Surprisingly he recounted my life and we’ve been friends since that night.
“You know you lead off the preface of DOOMED AND FAMOUS.
“Not at all.” I hadn’t wanted to touch his book of the dead on my last visit to the gallery.
The Irish and Welsh Jews shared an affinity for death.
He opened his book and read most eloquently, “But this is my obituarist – he has to come in with me.” Saying so my friend led me through the velvet ropes of Manhattan’s most exclusive nightclubs. And his statement is true, for when he dies I will gather together the many details I have jotted down over the years, blotched notes from dawn bars and midnight wharf walks to write down his story, one most unlikely to be told otherwise; diamond smuggler, punk rocker, Tibetan motorcyclist.
“I’m here with my obituarist.
There is pleasure in the phrase, faintly ghoulish, slightly grand, your immortality assured by patient presence at your side writing it all down on these old shards, scraps of foolscap, and cancelled envelopes.
Thank you for these kind words, comrade.
I shall outlive us all, but not thee.
Sie gesund.
DOOMED AND FAMOUS: Selections from the Adrian Dannatt Collection
JANUARY 16 Through FEBRUARY 27, 2021
36 ORCHARD STREET
ADRIAN DANNATT’S ANNOTATED CHECKLIST
Miguel Abreu Gallery, in collaboration with Sequence Press, are delighted to announce DOOMED AND FAMOUS: Selections from the Adrian Dannatt Collection, an exhibition accompanying the release of Dannatt’s book of the same title. The show, somewhere between a brocante, an alpine monastery library, and a cabinet de curiosite, gathers highlights from the author’s varied collections, assembled over the years and around the world.
The exhibition ranges from scraps of paper to rare signed publications, minimal sculpture and rococo treasures. Yes, there will thankfully be works by such renowned artists as Tina Modotti, Richard Prince, Nancy Spero, Richard Smith, Nan Goldin, Noguchi, Allan Kaprow, Rammellzee and Picasso. Yet, equally of interest will be a sweep of intriguing paraphernalia, objets trouvees and gifts by some more recherchez writers, political activists, artists and friends.
Accompanying notes by Dannatt detail the history of the objects, the often surprising circumstances under which they entered his collection, their problems and provenance.
Dannatt will be entirely present for private tours of the show by appointment.
Signed copies of the book will be available along with a limited edition print by Hugo Guinness.
Works by Mitchell Algus, Laurie Anderson, Jay Batlle, Christian Bérard, Sheila Berger, Roger Blin, Derek Boshier, Juan Boza, Karen Caldicott, Robert Creeley, Guy Debord, Bobby Driscoll, Graham Durward, Richard Floethe, Victoria Floethe, Jan Frank, Adam Fuss, John Giorno, Nan Goldin, Marie Gossart, Hugo Guinness, Brion Gysin, Anthony Haden-Guest, Hananiah Harari, Michael Holman, Duncan Hannah, Damien Hirst, Ralph Humphrey, Allen Jones, Jacqueline de Jong, Allan Kaprow, Tony Kaye, William King, R.B. Kitaj, Alison Knowles, Norman Lewis, Alexander Liberman, Siobhan Liddell, Michael Lindsay-Hogg, Claude Lorrain, Marisol, Maria Martins, Beaux Mendes, Eric Mitchell, Tina Modotti, Robin Morgan, Olivier Mosset, Danny Moynihan, Matt Mullican, Isamu Noguchi, Oporto, Paul Pagk, Paul Păun, Pablo Picasso, Peter Pinchbeck, Philip Pocock, René Portocarrero, Richard Prince, Patrick Procktor, Peter Rose Pulham, Rammellzee, Alan Reid, Marcia Resnick, Walter Robinson, Salvator Rosa, Kathy Ruttenberg, Will Ryman, Giorgio Sadotti, Pieter Schoolwerth, Paul Sharits, Luc Simon, Richard Smith, Dan Sofaer, Nancy Spero, Robert Stanley, Saul Steinberg, William Strang, Ena Swansea, Philippe Thomas, Ruthven Todd, Amor Towles, Jocko Weyland, and many more.
Doomed and Famous: Selected Obituaries
Adrian Dannatt
Illustrations by Hugo Guinness
Sequence Press, January 2021
It’s a great show for a great man.
