Tomorrow morning Joseph Breton and I leave for Boulder, CO to begin production on a documentary film on our friend Arthur Secunda. Last month we spent a few days with him, testing the waters, to see if he was up to such a monumental task. Being in his late 80s, it is no small feat to be in front of the camera. Joseph and I were both happy to report that he was. In fact, it made him happy - this was our impression, at least. As all worthy documentaries, this will be a process of discovery. Even though I have known Arturo for 15 years, there is much that is still a mystery to me. I knew him as a friend before getting to know him as a great artist. For example, I know he spent a lot of time in Paris (as well as other places: Mexico, New York, etc) and was associated with many other expats living there, including James Baldwin and Henry Miller. I do not know the extent of his relationships to these social and artistic revolutionaries, in a time when Paris was a mecca for artists of all kinds. I look forward to learning this and much more about a gentle man and great artist. If you do not know his art, I look forward to introducing you to it, but more importantly, I look forward to introducing you to a great and kind man. Return to this blog often; I will use it to report on the process of the shooting, include things I learn about my friend Arturo.
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Matteo Marchisano-AdamoWriter, Producer, Director Archives |