Letter to Jim Meeker from Wallace Berman

There is very little correspondence from my late father, the artist Wallace Berman to anyone. I found this typewritten letter from Wallace in my Mom’s files almost two weeks ago. . For me, there are no surprises here, but hearing his thoughts on art/poetry through his ‘voice’ is pretty magnificent. The letter was sent to James Meeker, an art collector and someone Wallace admired greatly. At the moment, this is the only statement or thoughts about his art on paper by Wallace. He refused most interviews in his lifetime, nor was he interested in leaving a trail of paper behind him. Wallace requested Jim to destroy this letter after reading it. Jim kept it, and after some years after Wallace’s death, he sent it to my Mom, Shirley Berman.

March 1975

Jim/  Sorry about you getting two of the Gemini projects… I called them & they said it was ordered from yr office… & I told them some time ago to send you one…  When i send you something of mine i thought i always mention that you should never feel obliged to accept it buy it .. & if you send it back to be sure & let me know about the expense of the shipping.  I don’t want to hang you up… I do not exit in galleries… & aren’t really into the art scene… I’m not I don’t dislike galleries.. in fact I dig going & seeing works when Im in town which isn’t often…& if certain galleries want to buy my work…i insist that they aren’t exhibited & if they want sell them it should be from their back room or office…etc… of courses very selective & only let them have it if i feel ‘right’ about them..When its time for me to exhibit (i don’t feel the ‘works’ Aretha precious that they aren’t to be seen) I usually have a one day exhibit up here in Topanga to show my new work.. Which is every few years or so …& the ones interested will come up & see it… The exhibits that are circulating that are history shows & usually borrow a work of mine… i really don’t have much control over & they seem to be handled by nice people…I think its a matter of comfort & my works seem to be more comfortable in peoples homes than a gallery…& when I exhibit i like to control everything including announcements which i like to print myself etc…& keep it personal..an extension of the artist…don’t know if I’m being articulate… hard to talk about my work.. I did have a exhibit once.. a few decades ago..or so..&it was at the Ferus..when the gallery was new..& run by Walter Hoops..& it was busted by tunnel visioned people…who misunderstood.. You were the first one i ever sold anything to that i did’t meet first..Someone said you sere interested in my work..i cannot remember who..& sent a work to you on my intuition which seemed to work out great for me as yr checks took us over some heavy times here..& appreciated it… Tho by no means sell if you want to …Im only interested in taking care of the nut here..utility bills..etc..no more than that…my main interest is my work…from yr phone call i sensed you were going thru some heavy moments… if there is anything I can do on this end let me know… You also mentioned the ‘Mallarme’ work where black magic is mentioned…Mallarme is a great poet & was into writing poems & you won’t find anything negative in his work. I’ve never been interested in so called black magic…if anything i would be at the other end where magic to me would be in the great wonder of Nature… the mystery of Seeds… the Cosmos.. the creative urge…which i believe to be Love…not the spookadook trip..but a Harmony with a higher order… a Balance..Growth….sorry if I’m rambling… a friend left some tequila…anyway if you wish to give my work to the museum..do so..they belong to you… if they want to put a few up at a time to be viewed its cool..but i definitely do not want a one-man show now…most all the works i sent you were from my own private collection &b has not been exhibited or seen…i will all the lady you mentioned who is taking care of yr collection to see about the last work i sent like you mentioned.. I won’t send you anything until you request it…after you read this letter i would appreciate it if you would tear it up…self conscious of the many art historians etc…who seem to be interested in letters etc.  at this point … thank you…

love

W.B.