3/20/04

Billy Kluver's memorial was today.  It was a high point in my life to have been able to meet and work with Billy and Julie Martin for nearly ten years. Billy was a true Visionary, in every sense of the term.  His contribution to art of the mid to late nineteenth century has been grossly and unfairly under-valued and under-documented.  Because of this, his influence on contemporary culture goes unnoticed.

Billy first entered the world of contemporary art after being invited by Pontus Hulten to help Jean Tinguely create Homage to New York for the historic 1960 installation at New York City's Museum of Modern Art. In 1966, Billy formed Experiments In Art and Technology (EAT) with Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Whitman, and Fred Waldhauer.

It was an honor to have been invited to NYC's Judson Church by Julie Martin to gather with family and friends to share in a very special moment.  It was a very special experience to meet so many people I have read or heard about including  Billy's daughter, Maya, and his son Christian. Among the gathered, I also met Theodore W. Kheel, the extraordinary negotiator of Pavilion fame, who defended EAT from an irate Pepsi-Cola board.   Elsa Garmire, the brilliant optical engineer and scientist who Billy recruited so many years ago for EAT was also present. It was she who designed the spherical mirror inside the Pavilion and fitting that she was the one to speak of Billy's accomplishments as an engineer.

Pauline Oliveros performed a transcendent raga, "For Billy and David," which spanned lifetimes and seemed to last only an instant. 

John Giorno performed two extraordinarily moving pieces of his poetry -one of which was Demon in the Details written for William Burroughs and "some others." 

Madelaine and Jonathan Piel (the retired publisher of Scientific American) spoke of Billy's achievements from the perspective of someone who has lost a friend very much admired.

Touching anecdotes along with words of thanks and support were read by Julie on behalf of Robert Breer and Robert Rauschenberg who were unable to attend for reasons of health. 

Robert Whitman created a brilliant and lyrical memorial installation piece using colored crepe dropped by artists (and ex-students of mine!) Lisa and Nicole Abhuni who performed with solemnity and grace honoring everyone present and not. 

I also met many wonderful people including artist Ultra Violet, engineer-artist Robert Kieronski, and Randall Paker.

After the party at Judson a core group retreated to a South of Canal bar to decompress a bit further.  There I met a woman who lived in an apartment across the street from One World Trade Center who was in her home when the first tower collapsed on September 11.  She saw and heard the crashing and falling and nearly suffocated in her apartment from the dust and smoke. 

Billy Kluver was the catalyst for a series of ongoing changes in art and culture that had its official start with Jean Tinguely's Homage to New York in 1960 and will continue until the end of civilization.   There were other contributors in this process.  Including; Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Breer, and Robert Whitman, Jasper Johns, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Claes Oldenburg, and others. If not for the quiet support and continuing strength of Billy's partner and wife, Julie Martin.  

I met Billy and Julie on January 14, 1991 at their cozy, secluded home in New Jersey, not far from Bell Labs or New York City.   When Billy spoke of EAT-related events and its history, Julie was always present, listening and adding key bits of information when appropriate.

Billy was an inspiration and a friend.  His passing bookended a unique period in art and culture; a historical epoch that he co-authored. I will miss his gravelly voice, his excitement at a challenge, his bright blue-eyed optimism, and his friendship, very much.