Autobiographical

My full-length book, Where We Think It Should Go, can be yours via Octopus Books, Small Press Distribution, or Amazon. We better celebrate these hard copies while we can. When I'm not writing poetry, I teach amazing young people who are blind. I believe in a healthier future.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Bruce Conner

I missed it for a while, but Bruce Conner died. Here's his NYTimes obituary. Maybe my sister can remind me, or my upcoming trip to Kansas City. Was there some of his art at the Nelson?

The S.F. Chronicle had some interesting stuff:

"In 1967, Conner ran for the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco. He described his business or occupation as 'Nothing. My qualifications for said office are as follows: The light of the body is the eye; therefore when thine eye is single, they whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is dark, they body is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.'

"One campaign speech was a list of desserts, reports the Bay Guardian. The artist/candidate received 5,228 votes."

3 comments:

LCB said...

Thank you, CB. His qualifications were terrific. I want to know which desserts were listed in that speech.

I'm not sure whether the Nelson ever had any of his work up, but maybe you saw the show at MoCA in 2000? I did.

Steven Fama said...

One of Conner's 1967 campaign speeches is reproduced at page 168 of the catalog for 2000 BC: The Bruce Conner Story Part II.

It starts with Apple Pie, and among the 40 or so other things listed are Salt Water Taffy, Lime Sherbert, and Strawberry Snow-Cone.

You know, just the typical politician sweet-talk!

Claire Becker said...

Sweet! Thank you.