YES, BUT IS IT ART?

 Readers of the blog know how much deer hunting and art mean to me. Sometimes they are intertwined. Sometimes not. Last year at this time I was looking forward to a large one person show in SF at David Ireland's House, only to have the whole thing go belly up. Milawyer guided me through a painful process that gave me some financial, if not artistic, relief. Bridges went up in flames and long friendships dissolved. The whole thing was painful and so unnecessary, yet at the same time needed for closure. It's funny, no matter how many times I go through these things it always takes me by surprise. Last night is a case in point.

Buddy Budde and I were sitting in my living room, having a couple of drinks and discussing my most recent attempts at changing the county name. It's an old battle, but one I still think is worth fighting. When Mrs. Birka Budde joined us the conversation turned to Mountain Dale Social Sculpture Park and the community's disappointment that I had removed all the work. After all, they had ponied up $500 at the Bikini Car Wash last summer for new work. WTF? I was confused. I had removed some work after more thefts, printed a book, and vowed to continue the battle in the spring. Why the rub? Then Buddy explained that the concrete pedestals and other work were now gone. They all assumed I removed them. Again....WTF?

After getting sufficiently oiled up on Modelo, the Buddes left and I tried to sleep. No luck. Could someone have stolen my 2000 lb. toppled pedestal? It made no sense. So, I got out of bed, threw on a jacket and drove to Mountain Dale. Buddy was right. My pedestals, among other work, had disappeared. Could it be the "JEWS?" Just kidding. No Hassidim was going to hire a man with a backhoe or forklift to remove my pieces. It wasn't their M.O. They were happy just to tip it over. No, it had to be an inside job. My prime suspect: Little Bill Resnick.

A little after midnight I emailed RNButch.      

Butch, 

I know you have your hands full but….. somebody stole, removed, destroyed tens of thousands of dollars worth of art work from the Social Sculpture Park. After all I went through this summer, people rallying behind me and now this! Concrete pedestals as sculpture and other work all gone. I will file a police report in the morning. This is insane!!!! 

I got this back 

"Mike, I don’t know anything about it but I’ll call today and find out."

I hardly got any sleep and met the Fallsburg cops (again) at the SS Park at 8:00 am. My suspicions were correct. Little Bill (now safely in Florida) had ordered my work removed without son RNButch's knowledge. What is about this time of year and my artwork being dismissed, diminished, stolen, and/or denied? The cop was pleasant enough, although a bit confused. I gave him a book, explaining my "practice" and watched as he glazed over. The officer told me later that RNButch called Little Bill in Florida and reamed him out as he looked on. I have a knot in my stomach and feel completely misunderstood by almost everyone. It turned out the work had been removed weeks ago on Little Bill's orders. Why had nobody informed me? Once again, I have to go to battle for my art. I should have been a stockbroker like my old man. At least he got some respect. I know Milawyer reads the blog. Busy?