Dudes, I am so breaking this story! There was media everywhere at the Marilyn contest- J. Seward Johnson was one of the judges- but I’m putting it up first, because I’m competitive like that. The contest, in honor of Stamford Downtown's outdoor exhibit of JSJ's sculptures, was hilarious- see all pics at my flickr site. I got to meet and see some of Stamford’s glitterati: the SDSSD staff including their cool bloggers, the head of Keep Stamford Beautiful, a guy on the board at the Avon Theatre, and... the sculptor himself!
A friend’s husband peer pressured me into saying hi to J. Seward Johnson. I do not like to bother celebs, but he said JSJ is really nice and likes talking to people. On the way out, I happened to pass JSJ just as he finished signing a Marilyn’s book, so I said, “Hi, I have a website about Stamford, and I have a silly question. Do you have a message for Stamford?”
JSJ actually took some time to think, and he looked me in the eye and said something to the effect of, “Stamford is going places. There are many sides of it, and every time I come, I see a different side.” Cool.
Sandy Goldstein, head of SDSSD, said she was proud of us for coming, and proud of the Marilyns... I am too. Life can be so shittily dull, and we’ve got to spice it up by putting on wigs, drinking wine, and taking pictures of each other.
GO SDSSD and Avon, for putting on this cool event! Now I’m expecting more amazing ones... please!
I regret that I left too soon to get a photo of the winning Marilyn, in fuchsia satin, petting a white pit bull. Dammit!!! I saw the shot as I drove by the Avon on the way home. I am sure someone else got it. News 12 was there, a photographer for SDSSD, and a guy doing a documentary on JSJ.
Here all the judges, Marilyns, and important people who made the event/exhibit happen:
Oh, I don't know. That sounds fun and all, but I don't think it can beat a microeconomics midterm.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, you continue to make me smile with your dedication to experiencing, ahd sharing, all of the best that Stamford has to offer. I think JSJ is right, hopefully there are more good sides for all of us to experience. Keep up the good work, I am jealous.
What? Didn't you enter your bad self in the contest?
ReplyDeleteWow... you talked to a real artist! Even though I despise those statues, that is WAY cool.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I noticed an elevated level of profanity in this post...hope you're not feeling cranky with all the heat!!!
There happens to be a JSJ installation on Summer Street just a few paces north of Dragonfly, on the same side of the street. (It's a male in casual-friday corporate dress.) One night a group of us emerged from Dragonfly and the ribalder females among us began to devise mischievous camera poses involving said installation. Reacharounds, fakeout makeouts, leg humping, rump-rubbing, butt-sniffing, you get the picture. (We did get pictures. And they are delightful!)
ReplyDeleteI wonder how JSJ would feel about that.
With as good-natured as he seemed to be when I observed him at the contest, I think he'd find it funny!
ReplyDeleteSorry about the curse words in the post. I probably could have edited out one of them... I AM cranky with the heat and the busy-ness of life and work, but things like the Marilyn contest, and our online community, keep me happy!
I plan on adding one a day, feel free to peruse.
ReplyDeletehttp://vrod62.blogspot.com/
Vincent, very nice work. Really enjoyed the candid moments where you caught people's interactions with JSJ's sculptures.
ReplyDeleteI was half-afraid you might have a picture of me in that collection, but then I realized I'd actually have to leave my office for that to happen. :)
Thanks for posting the photos, Vincent. I actually laughed out loud at several!
ReplyDelete