Fran Lebowitz on Alice Neel | PROGRAM

Fran Lebowitz discusses the life and work of painter Alice Neel, living in New York in the 1970s, and what it means to be an artist with PROGRAM host Helen Molesworth.
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This episode of PROGRAM was originally live-streamed on November 5, 2021.
Alice Neel: The Early Years was on view at David Zwirner New York from September 9-October 16, 2021. Learn more: www.davidzwirner.com/exhibiti...
#franlebowitz #program #aliceneel #davidzwirner #painter

[@taylorwhite-hg7ml]

This is what a REAL conversation sounds like

[@angelatuck3673]

Please don't stop talking Fran. And especially about Art.

[@julierawlins5984]

Clearly no love lost for Warhol. I love love Ms. Lebowitz. She zeros right into people like a laser beam and calls them out.

[@craigadams4143]

I came to this because of Fran but now I'm intrigued to know more about Alice Neel. Thanks to whomever but this out into KZbin Land🎉

[@WilliamByronIs]

How this enriched my day. I adore Fran, I adore Alice Neel. In April of 2022 I spent the day looking at original Neel art and then ended the day at Town Hall listening to Fran speak- an excellent day.

[@hibiscusst523]

Great interview. She did a great job just having a conversation with Fran, which most don’t do.

[@hayleyanna2625]

Thank you. I adore Alice Neal. Wonderful interview. Fran is fabulous. ❤️

[@Maliceless100]

Icon with icon. I love the algorithm for showing me this video.

[@hereforit2347]

The 2007 Alice Neel documentary is a must watch.

[@LibbyRal]

OMG - I LOVE the way the paintings are given so much space.

[@francoisdischinger1872]

bravo aren't we lucky to have Fran even though we thought we knew it all she comes along and....boom

[@elainefell7943]

'People are the most important thing' - Thank you so much for uploading this. What a treat to listen to these women and to see some of these paintings.

[@lampkinmedia]

Fran is amazeing. I can listen to her talk for hours. She always has an interesting take on many topics. This is a really good interview. It reminds me of life growing up in NYC in the 60's.

[@nickbarcheck1019]

I adore Fran Lebowitz.

[@janettucker3196]

My grandparents lived in an apartment building in the Bronx back in the 1950's-60's. The lobby was painted a dark tobacco with royal blue mirrors. It had a strange art deco atmosphere. The elevated train blasted right by their windows, and I sort of loved it--not al all like suburban New Jersey.

[@anneturner2759]

I can feel it , see it , and smell it .

[@juliemullen365]

More more why do these great things have to end could listen to Fran for evermore ❤

[@balinsky214]

i really enjoyed the time I spent listening to these two people - thanks

[@ritaroad]

I can watch episodes of Pretend It’s A City every day.

[@sanjulienne]

A terrific interview, contemplative and probing, Fran is always fascinating.

[@cpmrealty]

Thank you for the class on Alice Neal...and as always - Fran is Fran, I admire her way of thinking.

[@JLevant1]

Lebowitz is in my generation. I've followed her career and bought her very enlightening and entertaining books (the original publications). Fran doesn't write nearly enough. But I'm sure, she'd say, "I just don't care." in response; or maybe not. Fran Lebowitz is a true artist. Thanks.

[@chrisbrown8327]

I think an artist like Alice finds painting a subject is her private way of creating an intimacy. When I have painted a family member, especially one who is no longer alive, I almost feel like they’re with me and that I’m taking care of and getting to know them more deeply. I bet she felt that too.

[@annedebthune3084]

Public defender, just beautiful

[@sulltk1447]

This made my day go from grey to inspired, thank you!

[@DemocracyofLight]

Magical interview, thank you. ❤ The only visual art experience I’ve ever had being brought to tears was standing in front of an Alice Neel painting.

[@joannemolodowitz3051]

Fran's style is the opposite of alice Neel's and yet thew come together. Bravo for Both....

[@annrubino6252]

My innards are buzzing from this talk. The most fascinating, honest discussion about an artist I have ever heard! Thank you both so much. Always love listening to you, Fran but one little thing is niggling me. Do you really feel that these paintings could not have been done in any other environment than NYC? As a Canadian, I identify strongly with her work. As a painter, I marvel at her uninhibited rendering of the life she witnessed. Without knowing her, I know her.

[@diogesesmore9874]

Excellent question. All of those amazing Canadian Painters

[@nem0763]

I agree. I must say I love Fran for how devoutly she loves NYC (I've never been there, and I'm Canadian too 👋). For me, it's great that in a flattened, globalized world, someone as singular and enduring as Fran can be so tightly focused on a place. I think it sometimes makes her conflate an essential NYC-ness with other things she loves and responds to. It's her instant go-to. I don't think it's as simple as making her another solipsistic New Yorker, more like it's a healthy culturally conservative instinct and she's a major cultural fixture. It makes her more interesting in the long run, but you just have to take some of her opinions with a grain of salt.

[@MisssAnthrope49]

Neel, on invitation to contribute a self portrait to a national American artists group show, presented the only nude. It is brilliant.

[@gol622]

Really great interview thank you both

[@zalanahara270]

I absolutely love this conversation. ❤love Fran

[@barrysimon5877]

Great interview and Helen you are stellar in all your presentations.

[@LornaKleidman1]

Love her wit!

[@elizabethcommandeur4093]

Absolutely fabulous interview. These two together have such great conversation chemistry. Very insightful and inspiring. ❤

[@robwarren4425]

Fran is nyc

[@Alindber1]

I love this conversation more than I can say. Thank you Fran.

[@naomicohn6704]

What a fabulous conversation

[@christopherlabas7724]

THank you for this!!

[@HlifeRomania91]

Just lovely thank you❤

[@anneturner2759]

Terrific, thank you both.

[@paulkolyer6403]

Amazing! Thank you!

[@pamm8608]

Hey Fran! Please do some more gallery interviews! Really different, and I love hearing your opinions on the art.

[@kristinl9583]

Loved this so much ❤

[@trivialnonsense]

fantastic conversation.

[@ricromrec]

More conversations _real/good Art is so important…bravo

[@lmacdonald1281]

Wonderful insight

[@kage122]

wow. loved this. so glad i stumbled upon it at this point. thank you!

[@Narabruz1]

What an amazing video on every level! Thank you!

[@jackiwannapaint3042]

an amazing painter and a great influence on me when I started to paint.

[@samanthamiller7267]

beautiful minds

[@MAYK1NG]

I always agree with Leibowitz - just almost, always.

[@jamesallison4875]

Last comment was perfect.

[@camilogomezkeep2324]

LOVE THOSE CHAIRS!!! Wonder where I could get them...,

[@mdhh7859]

Excellent

[@jo8726t]

Interesting talk!

[@nitzaflantz]

Thank you all so much

[@Bruceneuman]

Photography is obviously an art in the right hands. Two many great and lasting images out thereto argue otherwise. But, why argue? Just enjoy.

[@eileenvandernoot3867]

I remember Candy Darling.

[@maroosk]

Very neat. Id like a hundred more.

[@robertsmith5744]

"Montecito makes Beverly Hills look like Detroit." . . . . Fran Lebowitz

[@ZadenZane]

Fran is a bit like Judge Judy without the attitude 🤪

[@MaureensWelt]

right

[@carrisagrace1]

My mom also ALWAYS takes the quick covert pic at every single funeral . I snapped a ton of my sweet dog. I’m not sure why…

[@tyrosebush]

"right"

20:00

[@thesimulation9651]

"nothing gives you a nice patina on your walls like cigarette smoke"

[@InTrePidG]

Who is “Who Jar?” 6:00 the portraitist? I cannot find him.

[@christophernunez2815]

Photographer Peter Hujar

[@l4ur453]

Peter Hujar

[@IlGattonero13]

@InTrePidG: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Hujar

[@dustinhall669]

Peter Hujar

[@noahzawertailo8648]

Peter Hujar

[@marylbullock]

I am assuming Fran's antipathy to photographing the deceased in their coffins comes from something in the Judeo-Christian ethic (not sure what, though). In Lithuania, where the pagan thrives just below the patina of Christianity -- they were the last people in Europe to be converted -- families photograph themselves standing around the deceased. It is a sign of respect and love, the final family moment, to be treasured, not denigrated. By the way I am a painter who doesn't care about money. I am with Fran on almost everything.

[@robertcook2680]

For context of my response to your comment: I am white and I grew up in the Episcopal church, (though I was never really connected to a sense of God and I later discarded any faint belief I had had). When my mother died in hospice 10 years ago, I took pictures of her body, some just of her, others with my brothers and sister-in-law in the pictures, and one or two taken by my sister-in-law of me in the picture of my mother's body. When I look at those pictures, I question myself as to whether it was an odd thing for me to do, but at the time, in the presence of my deceased mother, I couldn't have considered NOT taking pictures of her in death, the last pictures of her that would ever be made. We had her cremated, so just a few days after those pictures were taken, her body no longer existed, except as ashes. Those pictures stand as the last images of this person who had lived for 80 years and whose life had ended.

[@JohnSmith-qz1zp]

I think the point of touching the canvas infuses the energy of the artist into the work. Photography not so much.

[@dabeage]

I swan for those chairs. They are not only the perfect height, but NOT claustrophobic...

[@gmon7223]

I don't agree that photography isn't art

[@marymarysmarket3508]

They need larger chairs!

[@aNnarybaTArtist-ju1xy]

I was enthralled until the point where Fran said [Alice Neel] was of no consequence (19:00 of 36;55 minutes in). I respect Fran L. but respectfully disagree.

[@lucysweeney8347]

I believe Fran said Alice Neel was consequential ..and heroic.

[@chris.kaiser]

At 19:00, Fran said, "She was incredibly consequential as an artist"

[@ainthatsomeshit]

- ...and maybe this is the better question: what do you think of x? - i don't think of x.

[@diannedavis2010]

‘You may not care. But there’s more than one person here.’ But, wait a second. Doesn’t Fran, herself, regularly say “I don’t care?”

[@MegaAtomium]

Oh, hunny... I've taken photos of folks in coffins. It's fine.

[@garethernst]

brilliant discussion. the final 'public defender' line takes ones breath away.

[@garethernst]

Love Alice Neal so much! Hero