This is a painting by Robert Bechtle from 1974. It's called Alameda Gran Torino. Yes, that's right: Alameda. My home town, as well as the backdrop of my first novel. I found out about Bechtle's work a few years ago at an exhibit at SFMOMA. I was blown away. I saw several paintings of houses and cars I used to walk by every day on my way to school (or up to less noble pursuits). I was in a time machine, and Bechtle caught my childhood through a filter not unlike my own: simultaneously real and unreal, comic almost, sun-painted stucco and a terra cotta hyper gloss at the western end of a continent. More so, when I was in high school, I used to drive around and photograph old cars. And there, right on the walls of the museum, was one of the three Northern California artists who developed West Coast Photorealism, and he had set his canvas in my hometown. One of his preferred subjects: cars parked on streets. I thought I had found a kindred spirit. I found out he was still alive (in his early seventies), and living in San Francisco. So I sent him a copy of my book and a letter, explaining how I felt about his work, c/o a director at MOMA. Of course, I never heard back.
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October 09, 2006
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Do you still have a home video of mine from 83-85? I think I left it in Texas. If you have it let me know.
Thanks.
Posted by: J.P. | October 16, 2006 at 10:33 PM
Uhhh... unless I'm unsavvy to some cloaked reference... I was about six to eight years old in 83-85, and living in California.
But I'll check anyway.
Posted by: Benji | October 17, 2006 at 12:15 PM
I wanted to know if you have a video of mine that I brought with me when I moved to Texas and never got back with the rest of my things. It's a home video from 83-85. But I left it in Texas in 98.
Please let me know.
Thanks.
Posted by: J.P. | October 17, 2006 at 02:15 PM
A week early:
Happy Birthday!!!
('cause I'm prone to forgetting 'bout things like this...)
Posted by: A. | October 18, 2006 at 04:41 AM
Ah-ha! Sorry. Spaced on who 'J.P.' was, er, is. I don't really remember a home movie. I just noticed a mysterioulsy unlabeled VHS tape when I cleaned out my desk. If it's yours, I'll let you know. But don't get your hopes up. I think if I would have had it this long I would know where it is. And since I don't know where it is, I probably don't have it. I threw away a lot of stuff. Sorry.
Posted by: Benji | October 18, 2006 at 08:21 PM
Oh well...
Well, if ever you run across it...
Thanks
Posted by: J.P | October 18, 2006 at 11:17 PM
Not your tape.
Posted by: Benji | October 24, 2006 at 05:28 PM