EPILOG

     After making the 500 Capp St. show and its cancellation public I heard back from their curator. Her tone was conciliatory and I got drawn back into a proposal process. Slim as it was I thought there could be a chance I could do $ORRY at David Ireland's House. Once again, after more discussion I can't remember noting a greater disillusionment. I promised not making the curator's initial email public. Which I haven't. The gist of it was the same old offer of $1500 and flight to SF to lecture on recent work that remains crated up in New York, and a vague offer of reimbursement. Here's my responses that I now make public:

      I’m looping Dan, Cait and Ted in here in my response. This involves us all. Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Lian expressing a willingness, after all that has transpired, to enter into a honest dialog with the artist. I had thought the last email I received from Cait starting that a Mike Osterhout exhibition would not be possible at 500 Capp in Spring 2023 was a hard no. Let's take it by the numbers: 1. Apology accepted. 2. All legal steps remain on hold. 3. Offer of $1,500 honorarium plus reimbursement? Here’s what that would look like as of today -

1. (F)ancestor catalog prototypes : $200

2. 2000 drawings completed in Virus and War Suites. Photographing, formatted and animation of drawings: $1200

3. Framing of selected drawings: $600

4. Packing and crating of work destined for 500 Capp: $1500

5. Slave Ad rug: $150

6. Black Curtain: $115

7. Honorarium: $1500

8. Aluminum material purchased for $ORRY and onsite visit to 500 Capp by TR: $1500

TOTAL - $6766

   This brings us to option #4 - As much as I love the absurdity of coming to SF to lecture on years of work that sits crated up back in NY, I’ll pass on #4. So, once again I will present a fifth option. Let’s return to the $5000 budget and $1500 honorarium offer that I rejected last summer. Because that slashed budget would not allow me to do the show I wanted I rejected it. As I said, it was never about the $, only the opportunity it provided me to do (F)ancestor. Here’s what I now propose. A $5000 all inclusive fee paid to the artist as soon as possible. For this I am willing to contract to have fabricated and installed the outdoor work $ORRY, MORE lovin’ Hooray and BLACK CURTAIN. $ORRY would be anchored and placed on a 2x4 pedestal and the billboard could either be attached to adjoining property wall or rigged as a freestanding object on 500 Capp deck. BLACK CURTAIN would be installed on a metal pole spanning the garage door. This would take the efforts and collaboration of Dan,Ted and maybe a helper or two. I trust both Dan and Ted implicated as skilled mechanics. I would also like to include a signed and numbered ed. of (F)ancestor primers for sale for $50 ea., 500 Capp getting 25% of gross. If the material and point of view of the artist, a so-called white settler descendant is too uncomfortable for the Foundation I would withdraw that piece. As I trust the installers I would not need to fly to SF, so you could save on shipping, travel and per diem. This radically pared down show would be scheduled to be exhibited on the same May/June dates. I have to go to Europe for a commission in March and schedule another eye operation to fix the last one. The May/June dates are the only time I can do this show. I would not curate a David Ireland show as part of this proposal but would encourage you to do so. I also would not object to any other artist of your choosing sharing this time slot with me and exhibiting in the house or gallery spaces. Roundtrip shipping of billboard and curtain would be covered by the artist. All installation material costs would be covered by 500 Capp. 

   As I've communicated to all. I do not take any of this personally and hold no ill will towards any of you. But, as Lian pointed out the art world is a world of relationships. My word is everything to me and I endeavor to always keep it and expect the same from others. The clause that was omitted from the contract allowing the institution to cancel the artist for cause if he or she clashed with the community or institution cuts both ways. I became “difficult” specifically because you would not enter into an honest dialog with me. It will take some time to heal that schism. I’m encouraged that now you want to come to some mutual resolution short of litigation. I don’t think it’s too late if you can come to a decision in a timely manner. You have been graced with the task of being the stewards of David’s house, quite an honor. I’m honored to show these pieces there. Let’s work together towards that end. I look forward to your decision. 

      All my proposals were rejected and I was castigated for making this email "public" although I just looped in people already involved. I then informed the curator that all future communication may go public at my discretion. Here is that email:

     This email exchange was not shared publicly but with those involved in this project. The previous emails you sent on Saturday will not be made public in any real sense of that word. You were not clear that you did not want this to be shared with all involved with (F)ancestor. To be honest we never had, nor have now a working relationship. I thought you were speaking in your official capacity as curator at 500 Capp and wanted to work this resolution out as a group. Transparency is being honest with all parties not trying to make deals behind other’s backs. I have no desire to work with you as a curator in any capacity, nor am I interested in any of your proposals of coming back to SF. You, Cait and Dan contracted for the (F)ancestor exhibition and breached that contract Whatever your ideas of what fits or doesn’t in your Capp St. program are irrelevant. All the rest is noise. This is not a dialog I want to continue any longer. I consider this issue closed between us and all other parties involved at The 500 Capp St. Foundation. This now leaves be with only legal options that I will pursue. This email, and any further communication will or will not be be made public however I see fit. 

 

Then, within the hour I received another email with a completely different tone:

Dear Mike, 

For one last effort on my end to repair the situation. What if I hold a meeting with my team again to reconsider your counter proposal? Your counter proposal was originally rejected but I would like to make a case for its consideration after our long email exchange. I can make a case that - we should pursue that to appease the situation and create a convincing case for my team, which I will vouch to fundraise for.

Let me know what you think. I ask for us to continue the dialog between myself and you, and then I can personally work on it on your favor with no curator but just having me as a support system to help you follow through. 

     I was now done with being jerked around and at peace with the fact that I would never set foot in D.I.'s House again, while this bunch was in charge. My final (hopefully) response: 

      Thank you for finally acknowledging what I suspected all along, that the concerns over (F)ancestor were not purely budgetary but also “programatic."  I don’t know what to make of your offer. You describe me as inflexible while rejecting multiple counter-proposals tailoring creative solutions to “fit” 500 Capp’s program at lower and lower budgets. Within an hour you went from completely rejecting all my resolutions, questioning my honesty “if you indeed spent money on crating,” to now wanting to advocate and fundraise on my behalf. You once again ask for my patience, so you can pitch $ORRY to your “team" and board again. I’m done with that process. My patience is exhausted. Everybody involved on your “team" knew exactly what I had planned with (F)ancestor for three years and at this late date should be more than familiar with all my counter-proposals. There have been no surprises on my end. Lian, with all due respect I have no confidence in your willingness or ability to advocate and fundraise on my behalf. All previous interactions indicate otherwise. My genuine desire to show at David Ireland’s House is sadly at an end. I’m not walking away, but after being drawn back into what I hoped would be a fair and transparent process I feel we have nothing more to discuss. I'm withdrawing all previous offers of compromise.......As I’m sure your legal counsel has advised you, neither lack of funds nor the (F)ancestor exhibition suddenly “not fitting” in your program are defenses against a claim of breach. I’d suggest you read the contract and breach complaint again, and present my solution to your team and board. This decision is final.

MO

I can't wait for turkey season.