in this town one is at the mercy of the recognition factor. one's public appearance is absolute.
i consider myself a metaphor of the public. i am a public eye. i am a witness.
nurse!!! oh!!! nurse!!! carrot juice. tofu burger. rapido!
fine.  a greasy cheeseburger. fries - and a vodka.
i need to make a call, mary. you don't mind, do you?
to paris. bernard picasso - you know bernard -
 'apt 20'.  the church bells would ring at noon and six a.m.  24 strokes: how many times we counted them. we called our bed the cloud. and there we'd float. the bathtub was in the kitchen and took forever to fill up. we'd bathe together afterwards. oh the countless cigarettes and take out chinese food.  the bed was so narrow three years we made it fit. the sheets were green the sheets were pink the sheets white linen from the past. little home, farewell, the broken windows and the bodega on the corner. now from my balcony i look out over all new york.
"the name of the game is survival, you learn it in jail upon your arrival!"
oh man, you a fine nigga! you know that?
oh my, there goes the neighborhood. who's house is this, anyway?
that's what i like about you straight boys. you're so sensitive!!!
i gotta go pee.
who did this? who did this?
it's fucking amazing. motherfucker's got to put a crown on it.
naaaa. poor thing has a little dick.
just look at him.
mothafuckah!
i know that. don't let him get away.
hey, wait up!!!
you heard of albert milo. i made that niggah. i'm rene ricard. didn't you read "not about albert milo?" i know who to hype. baby, i'm gonna make you a star.
i can put you in the ring with him. even book the dates. but those big boys know how to fight. they
sounds famous already.
oh child.  you got no respect. didn't anyone teach you how to mount paintings?
this is a very important season in new york. one's public appearance is absolute. oh!!! louise!!! i'd like you to meet jean michel basquiat - samo. this is henry geldzahler.
you or the museum?
five.
that's five thousand dollars. he's from the metropolitan museum of art so suck my pussy, you star.
this is jean michel, whose work i told you about.
i didn't have the subway fare. my medicare ran out.
you kidding? that's annina nosei. jean's been in her gallery a thousand times. you slut. how do you know bruno bischofberger? he's only the biggest art dealer in europe.
3rd night i called him 'boy' he sed "don't call me 'boy'" "well then don't call me 'boss'" that was the end for us and i've been seeing him for 2 1. 2 years. in kangaroo court i want to be
oh man! that's one looks famous already.
you are a willful boy. how'm i s'posed to write about you if you keep changing everything?
uh huhh.  band practice? it's benny. he wants to know why you're not at band practice?
fuck band practice.  if you're gonna be a painter you're gonna have to break a few hearts - you don't wanna be like tony bennett.
singing on stage and painting in your spare
my point exactly.
so keep painting.
you're news. i want the scoop. i write it down. when i speak, no one believes me. but when i write it down, people know it's true. there's never been a black painter in art history that's been considered really important, you know?
so shut up and keep painting.
5:11.
thanks.  i'll take it tonight.
how about now?
how does it feel to have a genius in the family?
this guy wants a picture.
you fucking little whore! you sold my painting! i'm gonna tell you something, brother - when you're climbing up the ladder of success, don't kick out the rungs! believe that shit.
forget it.
shhhhhh. later. "what is it about art, anyway"
the picture a mother's son does in jail hangs on her wall as proof that beauty is possible even in the most wretched. and this is a much different idea than the fancier notion that art is a scam and a rip-off. but you could never explain to someone who uses god's gift to enslave that you have used god's gift to be free."
i'd like a glass of your best champagne, please? this is an enormously important season in new york, and to make a false step could have severe repercussions for years. we are no longer collecting art, we're buying individuals.
everything's over your head, andy. even mr. chow's menu. thanks for not inviting me
i'm starving. you can't buy advertising like this. this is the most glamorous dinner you'll have here this fall. how about some of that imitation crab?
isn't he great? thanks, jean.
he owes me one.
i haven't eaten yet!!!
hands off me, you faggots! i'm going. i'm going. i've kept diana vreeland waiting too long, anyway.
his early work? he's only twenty-six!
thanks again for not inviting me. i'm only here on business.
you're asking me? nigga, please. after the way you treated me? this is the first time i've heard from either of you in months! i had to crash this party! you treated me like a suede biscuit. rene don't play that! i can't get him off drugs! i don't even talk to him any more!!!