Rene Ricard. 1979-1980
New York: Dia Publications, 1980. 1st Edition. Octavo, publisher's stiff turquoise paper wraps lettered in black.
"Love: I did the homework but flunked the exam." Signed first edition of poet, art critic, and downtown tastemaker Rene Ricard's first book. Ricard was a fixture at Warhol's Factory, a regular and influential contributor to ArtForum magazine, a prolific poet and painter (frequently text-based), and was revered and feared for his remorseless aperçus: "he was our Catullus, writing elegant and obscene poems of love and hate with brevity and dispatch. But maybe it was best to avoid him?" (Raymond Foye, Brooklyn Rail). Modeled after the Tiffany jewelry Christmas catalog with glossy turquoise wraps (as Ricard wrote to designer Bruce Chandler, "Any departure from the Tiffany catalogue prototype would be a liability"), the collection was the debut book in Dia Art Foundation’s short-lived publishing venture, under the editorship of Gerard Malanga. The book was notably the only volume published, due to Ricard’s "onerous" behavior, Malanga also stating that their friendship did not survive the process. Comprises over fifty of Ricard’s free verse, confessional poems. Signed by Ricard in pink ink to half-title, with his printed name crossed out. Light edgewear to wraps. Near fine. Item #10199
$900.00