~MARK ENGER MEMORIAL PIX
from the left: MATTHEW ENGER, MARK’S TWIN BRO. good pal RICK RODINE at center, and MARK’S OLDER BROTHER – DAN ENGER.
RICK delivered the very moving eulogy.
MARK ENGER – 1963-2011 – MEMORIAL CELEBRATION – SAT MARCH 26, 2011
ST. MARK’S CHURCH, NEW YORK CITY
MARK’S ASHES – REST IN A CUSTOM-SCREENED NEON ORANGE PLEXI-URN . . .
MADE BY MATT.
if you ever visited Mark – the multi-color Mexican blanket – brought a nod of recognition.
his screened face – seemed to flicker with life. and sadness. to leave behind his friends so sad, and too soon.
you can see the ashes – better from this angle.
yep, that’s all we – all – come down to – earth to earth. dust to dust.
but not quite all – finally resting in a translucent neon orange plexi . . . urn. and silk screened, at that . . .
MARK ENGER signature – along the one side . .
MARK N. ENGER 1963- 2011.
MATT ENGER, Mark’s twin bro – was holding up – though often you could sense, understandably – how overpowered by grief and loss he was at times – in brief flickers. Matt said he and Mark was born “in the old hospital in Fort Sill, Oklahoma – where Geronimo – died”. for real.
MATT ENGER – looks just like Mark from this angle.
in his eulogy, Rick Rodine related how even their mom had to tie a red string around one of them – in their early years – so she could tell them apart.
in later life they kept some distance stylistically – but many present remarked how Matt has let his Mark side shine.
there was a small selection of photos – that spoke to Mark’s quick-to-grin love – for life . . .
yo. Mark Enger in beloved bike gear . . .
the grin . . .
from left: MATT with MARK in happier days . . . f*#k you world – we win.
yep. MATT. MARK ?
MATT !! . . . you did your bro proud with the memorial.
it was so friggin right on. military precision, music, words, sparse imagery, neon orange hand-screened urn – and all . . .
everyone present – was mighty moved.
hey, if you lost your twin bro – you’d morph too.
their older bro – DAN ENGER – also an artist – was in town for the memorial . . . too.
DAN ENGER got to meet & greet Mark’s NYC friends . . .
DAN ENGER’S – memorial poster for Mark.
he was actually talking with KIKI SMITH – when we caught the photo.
RICK RODINE spoke the eulogy and he did a damn great job. he kinda got teary & shaken at times – and looked like he could not go on – he was so moved with grief and emotion . . . but the audience backed-up him up, whenever he faltered: “you can do it, bro !! – go for it.”
Mark’s dear friend, N. HENRY JONES who made that great videotape of Mark at work in his silkscreen shop.
foreground: JOSH HARRIS.
in the row behind him, from left: KIKI SMITH, THEO CERIGO, and KATE CERIGO.
Mark taught Theo how to shoot a rifle – when he was something like 10 yrs old. Kate would be the first to tell you – her visit to Mark’s studio last April 2010 – was a highlite of her life – and what an amazing artist she thought Mark to be.
JOHNATHAN MORPURGO – JOMO !!- a big WE LIVE IN PUBLIC fan – got to meet – JOSH HARRIS.
JOSH and Mark had a long and colorful history together – they collaborated on many projects, and Mark lived up on the farm.
one day – it will all come together, for sure.
it was Josh, who first pointed out, how Matt had morphed into Mark.
‘the coop’ aka CHRIS COOPER with Stephanie – came in from Chicago, I think.
big ENGER fan – JON COUSSENS flew in from out of town, too.
Jon meet the Enger Bros – the first week of college – art school – back in the day when they were all of 18 !!
Jon’s words say it all:
“I’ve never seen such a bond and . . . how the collaboration created such great art.”
art mover and groover – HASH HALPER, everybody calls him ‘Hesh’ – new to the crew . . .
we’ll let the future speak to the past: to life !!
Hesh and Josh – the Quiet legacy lives on.
MARK ENGER – SELF PORTRAIT. UNIQUE SILKSCREEN on CANVAS.
FAREWELL, RIP sweet cowboy – we all loved ya.
not to fear. we will keep your memory, and your art – alive forever.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH