Some Random Person

DiCaprio, Richter, Bardot, Margiela, etc.

I’ve received some private appreciation for my last post—from people in the publishing industry feeling at once seen and even more isolated after reading its anonymous (and therefore more aggrieved) quotes. Part II is forthcoming, but it’s so large at the moment, I might need to make this into a running feature. Thoughts?

So far, surprisingly, no one has texted me asking who said what (I wouldn’t reveal that, anyway). I think we’re all in agreement that it doesn’t really matter, that the result is more like a Reddit thread of insiders using the forum as confessional.

Last week, I took a long walk across town, letting myself be enticed by anything other than the phone, and ended up at a few Chelsea openings, totally organically. I’m not an openings person, although I attend them when my friends do because I love an impromptu dinner date after (martinis and niçoise at Michael’s fishbowl table, just a block from the new Bucholz location on West 54th, after a Dianne Weist street sighting? Am I the Carrie?).

In general, I find them too brightly-lit, under-ventilated, and dehydrating, with a frenzied-ness that really detracts from the artworks. At a more recent one, I was attempting normal conversation with a friend, when an acquaintance (not crazy) stood behind us, uncontrollably laughing and repeating, “It’s just really intense.” Another person left abruptly because, as was explained to me, “her gay ex-boyfriend is here.” I always come away thinking, why does anyone bother?

A couple weeks prior, I’d seen the last days of some shows—trailed by an almost-incognito Leonardo DiCaprio and Vittoria Cerreti (note: almost never at openings), also checking out the Elizabeth Peytons and Merrill Wagners at Zwirner.