Mary Boone

Happy Birthday

After The Whitney show, I decided it was time to find a gallery.

I remember it was a Thursday, my birthday. I decided that every Thursday I would approach three galleries until I found one to represent me.

So I took my mailing list of 100 or so Upper East Siders who had bought or expressed interest in my work, and headed to the East Village. The first two galleries either were not interested or wanted me to leave slides, which I wasn't interested in doing.

The third gallery was called Eastman-Wahmendorf. As I approached, the guy sitting at the front desk said "Happy Birthday" to the person he was speaking to on the phone (who turned out to be the owner of the gallery). Being a spiritually oriented person, I knew that this was the place for me.

All told I had nine solo shows in my five years in The East Village. It was a great time to be a young artist in New York City. Like catching the perfect wave.

Many of my shows, especially back then, have had writings connected to them. The writing on the following page was hanging on the wall as part of my first show at Eastman-Wahmendorf. Normally, I am embarrassed to read my older writings, but I think this one holds up rather well. I'd like to share it with you as it pretty much sums up my philosophy in life.

Tim Folzenlogen
MB Modern, March 2001

Me, I'm a seeker of truth.

In a way, I have no pride, or, at least I'll say that I am always delighted to find out that I am wrong. It is only at those times that I can step forward and advance toward truth. There is so much that I do not know.

This is not to say that I don't know where I stand. I have my platform. Nor am I a timid person. I thrust it on everyone to the greatest degree the relationship allows.

As I understand it, our responsibility in life is to interact. Interaction with an open mind. Giving everything we have to offer, but always looking for new ways to receive.

 The "truth" is that which benefits the whole. When it is truly known, the whole will live together in harmony. but for now, its secrets are scattered out, I think, evenly distributed with each and every person holding his/her own share.

I think that a person's value is determined by the number of people, the degree of diversity, with whom that person can freely interact. The person who draws no lines, who has no boundaries; the person who can embrace the world: that is the true human being.

Thinking Deeply 
by Me