Best bargain you’ve found?
I’m a huge scavenger. On the streets of Brooklyn, I always keep an eye out for ‘stooping’ finds. There is a big culture of people leaving unwanted items in the street for others to pick up. I’ve found rare and expensive books on the street, such as a huge William Blake book of all his paintings, which in perfect condition might sell for up to 450$.
How about The One that Got Away?
I have a love affair with Bachelard, and found Air and Imagination for free on the street. I started reading it on the train to a friend’s birthday, and my mind was blown open yet again. In the morning, they thought it was their birthday present and accidentally brought it home. For years I tried to get it back, and eventually broke down and dished out for another copy.
What would be the Holy Grail for your collection?
I used to take two buses, a train, and walk two miles to work at the amazing Aldrich Contemporary Museum in Connecticut. The exhibits at the time were right up my alley; found objects, mystical contemplation, silly and absurd sculptures, installation, assemblages galore. I would love a copy of the huge exhibition text so I can look back at the time in my life I spent countless hours staring at all these objects.
Who is your favorite bookseller / bookstore?
My favorite bookseller would have to be the bookstore cafe near to Maria Hernandez park in Bushwick. It’s cozy, you can sit and drink coffee and read for hours, it’s hidden down a residential street. I only found it by wandering around aimlessly. Oh, gosh, and Desert Island books in Williamsburg, because it’s full of niche art comics. They stock local artist zines, international graphic novels, and all sorts of visual/textual delights. And, right next door is Quimby’s, which is also a destination for local zines, piles of them you can sort through for hours if you’re so inclined.
What would you collect if you didn’t collect books?
I already collect clothes and objects. I believe they hold as much cultural history and aesthetic information as a book, or piece of traditional art might. Some of my favorite disciplines in conceptual art is found-object art, art-as-collection, and assemblages. In the one-woman show I am working on, I developed a story only after I collected an entire theater-set worth of objects. Once the maximalist space started coming together, I started wondering, what kind of character would live here? What’s her story?
