Suzanne C. Ouellette
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Lou Reed, New York Artist

10/29/2013

4 Comments

 
On Sunday, Lou Reed died.

On early Monday morning, a young man in our building's elevator listened to Lou Reed's music through his ear buds.  The sound was up high. All of us with him on the elevator could hear it, but no one of the five people on the ride complained.   It was our own private ceremony to honor Lou Reed's passing.

                                               "A bit of magic in everything and then some loss to even things out."
                                                                                                               Lou Reed, from Magic and Loss

Later that Monday morning, I used my ear buds on the train to listen, start to finish, to Lou Reed's Magic and Loss album.  A wonderful collection of songs said to be his response to the deaths of two friends, it seemed the best of his work to listen to now.  Attending as carefully as I could to all the words and all the marvelous sounds, I mourned our loss of Lou Reed.  As a piece of art, his album also helped me to to do more.  As I listened, I grieved for all those others I have lost,  thought about my own mortality, and tried to engage the impossible idea of death itself.  Thank you, Lou.

Since his death, many New Yorkers have shared their favorite Lou Reed stories.  Here is mine.  Several years ago, buying a coffee in lovely funky cafe on Hudson Street,  I spotted Lou Reed at a table eating his breakfast.  Seeing him wasn't such a surprise.  He lived in the West Village and was often on the street.  It was what he was eating that stopped me in my tracks:  Scrambled eggs.  I had been certain that Lou Reed was a fried eggs kind of guy --- and not the over easy eggs, but the two large bright orange yolks staring you right in the eye eggs.  I had been wrong.  Lou Reed ate fluffy, very pale yellow eggs with his toast. 

Having misjudged the kind of eggs to connect with Lou Reed, maybe I could do better with a painting analogy.  Actually, I need to try out two.  Twenty-five years ago, no question, I would have linked Lou Reed with an Egon Schiele self-portrait, actually several Egon Schiele self-portraits, but here is just one.

Picture

But today, given his long productive life and what many have written about that, it's a Picasso painting that best represents for me the spirit of Lou Reed.  It's Picasso's Boy in Blue from 1905.  There is a celebration of the person,  seriousness, strength, quiet, and glory in this painting.  Meyer Schapiro writes that this is Picasso's depiction of his own transforming artist-self.  I think the painting is big enough for us to see in it the celebration of other artists, artists like Lou Reed.

Picture
4 Comments
Neal
10/29/2013 09:56:46 pm

Enjoyed that very much.

Reply
Rivka
10/30/2013 09:32:10 pm

Dear Suzanne,
There is this thing about your blog that I am wondering about for quite a while. YOU have followers i am sure, I for once read everything and enjoy it tremendously and I have something to say about teach and every one of your posts. However, I rarely comment. Because I don't see other commenting too often i think maybe they comment on a different channel maybe to your mail, maybe you asked once please don't comment, like please don't bring gifts kind of thing. Maybe you don't feel comfortable to ask at the end" so what do you think?" so i decided to put it out there. Maybe you should arrange a call to your hidden commenters to come out in the open.
However, it is beautiful.

Reply
Suzanne link
10/31/2013 09:34:10 am

Rivka,
I always appreciate your comments. Please continue making them. People do seem to use other means to tell me what they think about my blogs, but I think you are right. It would be good to see more conversation on the site. I will follow your tip and encourage readers to post comments. Thanks for suggesting.
Best,
Suzanne

Reply
Bell Chevigny
5/30/2014 02:27:36 am

This is for Ula's blog on your website. I tried to leave one there and iit didn't stick. so, again:
Ula, i don't know you personally but i cant imagine you're cuter than in your portrait. Those soulful eyes, that tantalizing fur, those lavendar shadows! That palpable electricity between you and the painter! You're a lucky dog!
Suzanne's friend, Bell

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