Patti Astor is a legendary downtown diva with an impressive list of credits; style icon, film star and the proprietor of the tiny hole-in-the-wall space called The Fun Gallery. Fun helped launch the careers of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Futura and many others. The first time I ever HEARD of rap, hop-hop or saw guys break-dancing was at Patti’s party in 1981 with Fab 5 Freddy DJing. Now Patti has a written a new book about those early days. You can get one of the few remaining (signed) copies available until tomorrow here. Here’s an excerpt:
Fun Before Fun
“My first official art event took place when Futura offered to give me a painting. I was living on East 3rd St., and suggested he do a mural in the apartment instead. In the graffiti world, a mural was more prized and special than something that could be bought or sold… Futura was thrilled with the idea so we decided he would start in the morning and in the afternoon we would have an ‘Art Opening and Barbecue.’ I invited everyone and he got started. Kenny Scharf had by this time baptized himself as ‘Van Chrome’ and was “customizing” just about everything he could get his hands on, his favorite items being appliances. He had a real thing for vacuum cleaners. ‘Customizing’ consisted of a wild paint job and the gluing on of tiny plastic dinosaurs, cowboys, rocket ships, etc. Kenny came over that morning and did my blender, toaster and clock while Futura painted. I made vats of potato salad, stoked up the ribs and we all puffed primo splits. Of course, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Fab 5, Kiely Jenkins and Futura were all in attendance. Someone glanced out of the front window overlooking the street, and an amazed ‘Oh, shit!!!’ drew us all to the spot. In front of our collective astounded eyes, Diego Cortez and major uptown dude Jeffrey Deitch, in his perfectly tailored Brooks Brothers suit, were getting out of a cab!! Delicately picking their way through the heaped up garbage cans, Diego and Jeffrey were heading to the door. We all cracked up. Soon I was handing ribs to the art buyer for Citibank!”
Keith Haring signs everything put in front of him while Patti (wo)mans the phone, 1983