Mary Boone

Writing to Mary Boone

This idea of mine is evolving fast.

Why Mary Boone?

Because I've always admired you as a dealer, and because my work in your space would be such a cool statement to make.

How to touch Mary Boone?

As I wrote in my initial letter, my first thought was to simply bring a few small pieces by and say hello. That didn't work. Probably just as well. Honestly speaking, I wasn't ready.

Then I thought, well, maybe if I got to know Eric Fischl, he could introduce me.

So at one point I sent a painting of mine addressed to him to your West Broadway gallery as a gift. I used a messenger service. The gallery refused to accept the package.

So I found out where his studio was (it was in the East Village at the time) and brought the painting there myself. He wasn't in but his assistant allowed me to leave it there for him.

Some time later I got a postcard from Eric. He said that he had been informed that a package from me had arrived but that he was out of town. He said he would be in touch when he got back.

I was impressed by his sincerity.

When he got back he wrote that he couldn't accept my painting, as there was no reason for me to give him such a thing, though he understood why I did it. He gave me his phone number and told me to call some time and that maybe we could get together.

But I'm sincere also, and so I never called him. Truth is, I don't want to bother the guy. I'm sure he's busy. In any case, I've never been any good in relationships that were less than equal. Maybe Eric is sincere enough to accept me as an equal, but at the time, my only interest was in using the guy.

So I guess I focused on other things. I normally go with the flow. One thing leads to another.

Then a few weeks ago I got a call from the director of the gallery I'm with (M B Modern) and he told me that my next show (March) will be the gallery's last. They are closing up shop.

Somehow that excited me. I started thinking about you again.

So I thought about it for awhile and I thought that rather than showing up and having you tell me to leave, I thought I'd write you a letter, and so I did. I included a few images from past invitations or catalogues.

Then I thought, what are the odds that you will open any one envelope? You must get inundated with all kinds of stuff from artists all over the world.

So I thought series.

So this may go on for a while. I think it's a pretty cool project. I like the concept. I like the idea of me, an artist, writing to a dealer I admire and telling her everything about myself that I want her to know including why she should show my work.

I like it as an art project. I like it as an historical document.

If this is being read by one of Mary's assistants and it is in your power to throw it away or forward it to her, may I request that, at very least, you reserve judgment until you've read a number of them? I mean, how do you know? I may be everything I say I am. If I am, I'm going to succeed anyway. Trust me. You don't want to be the person who passed on Tim Folzenlogen.

Once the series is complete I'll bind copies together into a book and stop by and introduce myself.

It is my fondest hope that, if nothing else, on that occasion, you will at least know who I am.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Tim Folzenlogen
MB Modern, March 2001