~HESH: LESS IS MORE !! TAKE TWO – LIZ & DADDY’S !!
so, HESH . . . . a kind of modern day pied piper, takes our visiting Frenchman artist TIBOR in hand – for an ‘insider’ stroll – thru the downtown East Village streets – at night.
along the way, in typical Hesh fashion, he pulls something out of his pocket. what is it ? it could be anything. this time it is a mini painting on canvas – which he was inspired to do after seeing the LIZ show. got milk ?
as in, get it ? LESS is MORE !! someone else write the grad school treatise. I can’t do all your homework, for ya. but you can start with the mini size.
and the LIZ show . . .
ELIZABETH TAYLOR silkscreen portraits by ANDY WARHOL – at GOGO’s. that be LARRY GAGOSIAN – tourist !!
so, Tibor loves it, who doesn’t. it’s a gem. conceptually, too. he whips out the last $40 bucks U.S. he has left in his pocket – before he boards the return flight to France the next day. is it a deal ? yes, it is !! the mini Liz on canvas by Hesh is sold to Tibor for $40 . . . and now, e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y is happy.
so Hesh decides to celebrate by taking his ‘party’ – over to Daddy’s !!
often the last stop – in the city that never sleeps.
. . . another red blade by ALFREDO MARTINEZ. no doubt about it – Alfredo is a regular at Daddy’s.
sharing a wall with a red CINDY SHERMAN, and a (timely) festive xmas one at that !!
CINDY SHERMAN as Mrs. Claus, yep. it’s the real deal.
hope it’s screwed on tight – to that wall, Daddy !!
TIBOR and ELLA WALDMAN, lucky visitors from Paris indeed. to crack the Big Apple street code . . . and find themselves in the notorious Daddy’s B & B. Bread & Breakfast. crash pad. playhouse, Daddy’s art studio. whatever. it’s probably got more art – than you have. and way better, too.
the paintings on the back wall, including the man with blindfolded eyes (!!) are by Daddy himself. aka Seth McBride. Seth “they call me Daddy” McBride.
BANG BANG – it’s chockful of edgy gritty art . . . and the writing – is – on the wall !!
Daddy is an artist, too, and these are his paintings. they have their edge, as does Daddy. luminous and dark. flickering between the two poles, nothing is what it seems. they can stop ya. make you wonder . . . they have a tough cynical edge.
I wonder whose this is ? it’s also not for the jaded. nothing in here, is for the jaded.
everything is . . . intense, even the flowers. that’s that 2nd ALFREDO MARTINEZ red blade – on the top.
down with white walls & gallery boxes.
HESH making some calls.
Daddy’s – it ain’t Motel 8.
. . . if only that palms-up “hand” chair could talk – the tales it could tell !!
doing biz, living life. hardcore – is there any other way ? Crate and Barrel be damned. Ikea, not.
oops. what’s this hefty tome – on the floor ?
‘THE ART Of BUYING ART – An Insider’s Guide to Collecting Contemporary Art’ by PAIGE WEST. ha.
I almost thought I was at Peter Brant’s for a second, there.
and, then in comes DADDY, and in typical fashion – in the company of a beautiful bird.
street name Daddy, real name SETH McBRIDE – is legend on the downtown scene for letting a never-ending but carefully vetted crew of hardcore wanderers – crash at his pad.
p.s. it’s very big Apple – to entertain from bed. if you have never experienced this – you have never really arrived. I bet even Peter Brant entertains from bed. or in his pjs ? I know its a funny thought – but I just can’t get it out of my head.
I remember Josh used to. Josh Harris. back in the early crazy & wild days at Pseudo – when he had that raw loft on lower Broadway. he used to throw huge, tons of food. booze, etc you name it – movie parties – where the films were projected onto the wall – and he and his then girlfriend, fake of course (!!) Tanya – used to entertain the guests from a huge bed parked right in the center of all the action, and yes, in semi-undress. very Roman, no ?
it takes a lot out of you – to party down, hard.
as it happens we caught Daddy on a good night, a special occasion – his upstairs neighbor has just laid this wonderful, fab fab vintage PUCCI dinner jacket on him.
wow, do I want that, or what !!
dig the mint condition, PUCCI label and all. and that silk art deco patterned lining – is to die for.
of course, the funniest part of the whole gig – is that Daddy resides in an upper crust doorman, and bellman !! helmed building on Fifth Ave, and I don’t know what’s more amusing. his outrageous hardcore guests confronting his eccentric but filthy rich neighbors – in the shabby chic elevator – or the reverse !! you can only imagine.
but, someone else – can write the novel.
TRUE TALES FROM THE BIG APPLE: LESS IS MORE, TAKE TWO: DADDY’S UPPER CRUST FLOPHOUSE.
but seriously, I mean that in a good way, cause if not for Daddy, then what, who, and where ?
the Big Apple can be cruel . . . its streets are hard and dangerous. coming here, it’s like taking a bite out of Snow White’s poisoned apple. all is not what it seems. which is not to say all is rosy at Daddy’s, it’s a bit of a twist – mind games and all. but hey, it’s New York City – you gotta pay your dues one way or another.
and it’s floor space.
everybody plays games here. get used to it. just like they say: every dog has its day, and everybody in this town, has their game. all you can do is – put on your game face, and game the gamers. good luck.
. . . why does SUNDAY MORNING . . . by the VELVET UNDERGROUND come to mind.
note the graff: “Alfredo” at the bottom !!
paintings by Daddy. I actually really like his palette. yellow and bitter bottle green. sharp angst blue. makes Andy Warhol look like window decoration.
just joking, down dude . . .
yep turn any corner, and Hotel Daddy – is packed with art. Alfredo ‘owns’ this spot.
just take a moment to contemplate having to walk by the sleeping giant – on the way to the bathroom.
I dunno – maybe you had to be there . . . more and more I’m thinking . . . Daddy’s ? it’s like a modern-day fairy tale as opposed to, let’s say, a factory. Bros. Grimm . . . Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Jack and the Beanstalk ?
but, cowboy seriously. . how many hotels in this town – do you know, that really do need wall labels, as in: art by who . . . . . ?
or maybe, HOTEL DADDY – its more like: HOTEL CALIFORNIA . . .
you can check out – but you can never leave.
INK HEADS . . 1998 !!!!!!!
even the kitche(nette) !! – Bed, Bath and Beyond. NOT !!
and don’t get me started on those ‘mops’ by Haring !! ha. he be turning over in his grave. somebody sold him out for a (pretty) dime.
what next – disposable schmatas by Basquiat ?
more like cupboards – by cruisers & bruisers !!
yeah, HESH. LESS IS MORE – TAKE TWO: LIZ & DADDY’S . . . and, GOOD LUCK SUCKKA.
DEDICATED TO: SUNDAY MORNING – THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, their first song !! – on their very first LP. . .
yeah, WIGGS – you want to catch that.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH