From a newly growing artist to one in full bloom, Just Kids is an inspiring testament to the value of the creator's struggle. For someone just getting their toes wet in photography, the life account of Robert Mapplethorpe as it intertwines with your recounted life has been a great source of encouragement for me. You wrote that a promise was made to Mapplethorpe, that you would honor his life and tell the story you two share. You memoir conveys the intense friendship and esteem that you had for one another, and serves as a poetic memorial to his life.
There are some things, it seems, that are ubiquitous with the artist's metamorphosis, and through the narrative lives you share I see it clearly. From the timid uncertainty, mirrored by the meek beginnings you both embraced in New York City, through the trials of emerging artists, encouraging each other and coaxing artistic expression out in galleries and coffee shops, to the pinnacles of success, ravaged by controversy and error.
The bottom line, which you so elegantly draw in the minds of the readers, is art's reliance upon support. Yes, art comes from a powerful place within. It carries meaning intrinsic to the creator. But without external forces, that art is liable to exist within ourselves alone. The passage of your memoir which resonated most with this idea was recounted from your Hotel Chelsea days. I related to you, balling up pieces of poetry scattered about the apartment. Robert came in, picked up your crumpled prose, and encouraged you to entertain the idea of showcasing your work. You later had a poetry reading in a coffee shop accompanied by guitar. At this point, I am on the creative cusp between wanting deeply to share my photography and lacking the confidence to put it out there. I need the Robert of my life to step forward and push me onward. I am eager to experience that shift from doing photography for myself towards doing it to share, and I saw what that meant for you; for your career.
What would be your advice for someone wanting to take that step? How do you go about seeking that first big break? Does putting yourself out there get any easier?
One uncomfortability, perhaps because of your uncompromising candor, was the substance abuse detailed in your personal accounts. I respect your honesty discussing drugs and the role they played within your life, however artists are so heavily tied to drug abuse. Whether writers, painters, musicians, or photographers, representations suggest that substances are heavily relied upon to either escape from where you are or seek creativity and elevation. Does this stigma damage the work and sully the artist, in your opinion? Surely you don’t encourage substance use.
Thank you for your time, and thank you for a beautiful book,
Trevor