Just Kids, part 2.

Yesterday I was so busy talking about my crush on Patti Smith, developed after reading her memoir Just Kids, that I didn't even get to talk about the love story/friendship at the heart of the book; that is, her relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe.

The story(ies) of how they met indicate, from the start, the sort of fated friendship they were bound to share (as well as illustrating what a small town late-1960s New York City seemed to be). When Smith first moved to New York City, with no money,* she went in search of some friends of hers who attended the Pratt Institute for art, but when she arrived at their address, she found they had moved. Instead she met someone else who would become hugely influential to her: Mapplethorpe.

"I walked into the room. On a simple iron bed, a boy was sleeping. He was pale and slim with masses of dark curls, lying bare-chested with strands of beads around his neck. I stood there. He opened his eyes and smiled." (p. 25.)

A bit later, after Smith found a job in Brentano's (where they also must have sold crafts and jewelry), that same boy came in and used a credit slip (he had a job at a different Brentano's) to buy Smith's favorite necklace on display. And not long after that, when Smith was on a date with a bookstore customer whose motives she didn't trust, she happened to see Mapplethorpe nearby and used him to make good her escape:

"It was as if a small portal of future opened, and out stepped the boy from Brooklyn who had chosen the Persian necklace, like an answer to a teenage prayer. I immediately recognized his slightly bowlegged gait and his tousled curls. He was dressed in dungarees and a sheepskin vest. Around his neck hung strands of beaded necklaces, a hippie shepherd boy. I ran up to him and grabbed his arm.

'Hello, do you remember me?'

'Of course,' he smiled.

'I need help,' I blurted. 'Will you pretend you're my boyfriend?'

'Sure,' he said, as if he wasn't surprised by my sudden appearance..." (p. 38.)

I'm sorry, but that, my friends, is a relationship that was meant to be. Three chance encounters across Brooklyn and Manhattan? Of course, their entire love affair doesn't stay that idyllic. But you've got to read this book: what these two did for art, the people they met (particularly while living at the Chelsea Hotel), the way they loved each other--take your pick. It felt like about four great books in one.

*Have I said how much I love Patti Smith? Check out this sense of adventure: "At twenty years old, I boarded the bus. I wore my dungarees, black turtleneck, and the old gray raincoat I had bought in Camden. My small suitcase, yellow-and-red plaid, held some drawing pencils, a notebook, Illuminations, a few pieces of clothing, and pictures of my siblings. I was superstitious. Today was a Monday; I was born on a Monday. It was a good day to arrive in New York City. No one expected me. Everything awaited me." (p. 25.)

Comments

[Venta]

Hey, C.R.

I borrowed it from the library yesterday (to take on my trip which you will hear all about), and a coworker saw it on the desk and said she loved it. She was surprised at how sweet her voice was in the book especially since it's a contrast of her physical appearance. I guess the book cover thing is true. I'm looking forward to reading it as well as some of your other suggestions.

[Mary]

My book group read this one, interestingly the youngest person in the room was not a fan, esp. of all of the dropping of famous names. I was more familiar with Mapplethorp than Smith. I thought she tried hard to make Mapplethorp a sympathetic and likeable character, I suspect he was not. He aggressively forced his way into the art world and anyone who was a successful as he was had to have a tremendous drive and willingness to take advantage of others, including Patti who basically supported him for a long time while he developed his art. This is a great book for a discussion, especially when there is a range of ages in a group.
I would have never picked this up without the book group, I am glad I read it, although I would not rate it quite as highly as you do.

[Citizen Reader]

Venta my dear!
I finally read "Monstrumologist" the other day, can you believe it?!? Thanks so much--I enjoyed it and will post about it later.
I can't wait to hear about your trip, and about what you think on this one. I think "sweet" was a fair word--Smith's voice was definitely the highlight here. I'll admit, I just got a real charge out of HER and her, for lack of a better term, moxie.

Mary,
I'll admit I don't know much about Mapplethorpe, but I do think it came through here that he was always quite interested in fame, the "life of the artist," money, etc. She points that out when she describes how they were always going to the "it" places she didn't necessarily need to go, like Andy Warhol's hangout, etc.
I think something in their natures just answered each other, although they were quite different. I must admit there were many moments when I wasn't fond of him at all. But weirdly that was part of the magic of this book--Smith learning when she had to, for lack of a better phrase, move on (although they kept some kind of connection all the way to the end). He won me back a little bit when he photographed Smith and her daughter in the late 80s and told Patti her daughter was beautiful (or perfect, I think maybe, I forget exactly). I think she always trusted his artist's eye so I'll bet that meant a lot to her.

Anyway. Yes. Clearly a book about which there is a lot to discuss.

Also, I didn't mind the name-dropping--especially when someone had to tell her the guy she was seeing was famous playwright Sam Shepard. She never really made me feel like she was in it for the names, just for their skills as artists.

[bybee]

I absolutely must read this book!

[Beth]

Anyone who's a fan of this book, thought the news that it's being made into a film (co-written by smith herself) might interest you... http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/john-logan-patti-smith-just-kids-movie-robert-mapplethorpe.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FilmSchoolRejects+%28Film+School+Rejects%29

[Citizen Reader]

Bybee,
Yes, you must. Let me know what you think if you do!

Beth,
Thanks for the link! I think I'd heard this and forgotten it already--I'll be interested to see how they make it into a movie.

[Phaedosia]

Don't you wish you could have been a fly on the wall at the Chelsea Hotel?

[Care]

I had a similar reaction - I now love Patti and didn't have much knowledge of her at all before reading this.