A photocopy of a handwritten letter from Dan Flavin to Richard Carlyon, written on letterhead from the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Flavin gives Carlyon edits on his biography to be presented durin..
A photocopy of a handwritten letter from Dan Flavin to Richard Carlyon, written on letterhead from the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Flavin gives Carlyon edits on his biography to be presented during his participation in an Arts Festival symposium to be held on March 25, 1966. Transcription: "March 18, 1966. Cold Spring. Dear Richard Carlyon, My biography already contains sufficient fiction without a need for you and your associates to add to it. Your opening sentence is probably a paraphrase and not a quotation. I live in Cold Spring, New York. I never studied art formally with anyone. Four sessions (mornings and afternoons) did not “four summers” become. I never even saw Hans Hoffman in class. Albert discouraged me which confirmed my determination to want to draw and to paint. The “bull sessions” were informative about thought and not encouragement. Those men hardly noticed me. At that time, I hid in public. The Rouault poem was about religious sentiments only. Ward disliked much of my early work but all-in-all, he did encourage me by paying attention to me personally in spite of his opinion. (He is a good person.) Mr. Miller, the American Museum custodian, was simply a small minded man. His abuse of me certainly could not be construed as “an important impetus.” Amen. That cleans up that. Would you try to disseminate some sanitation at your end -- if possible. See you soon, Best regards, Flav. (Boug!)"