Nest

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A publicity shot for “Women in Exile,” a gallery show at Exile, 1982. Pictured, l. to r., Judith Simonian, Monique Safford, Linda Frye Burnham

“Nest” was an installation of mine at Exile gallery, 110 Winston St., downtown Los Angeles. It was part of “Women in Exile,” a group show by Judith Simonian, Monique Safford and myself, May 16-June 6, 1982.

“Nest” was a construction of straw, tumbleweed, grass and string: an actual nest, eight feet wide, filled with intimate objects from the bedroom of my studio at 240 S. Broadway. It was located on a loft in the front gallery, accessible by staircase. Visitors sat in the nest and drank champagne. At the bottom of the stairs, a poem was posted:

To touch your flesh
is to want your nest.

To smell your every part
is to invite desire.

But you cannot be the
cup.

You cannot be the
penny.

A nest is such a complicated thing.

I don’t seem to have any documentation of the nest or of Judy’s or Monique’s work for that show, but I hope they will add some info to this page.

 

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I also made a performance for “Women in Exile.” Poet Lewis MacAdams and I both did solos on May 29 under the title of “Performing in Exile.” Mine was about the difference between illusion and reality. I read descriptions of four types of illusions under which I have suffered: “Dylan Thomas,” the illusion of the separation of body and soul; “Bohemia,” the illusion that there is something good about sleeping downtown; “The Cellar Bar,” the illusion that drinking buddies are your friends; and “Romantic Love,” the illusion that you and your lover are participating in the same illusion. These illusions were interspersed with poems and songs written by me.

Exile was a gallery close to Skid Row in downtown L.A., founded  by artists Gary Worrell and Dennis Goddard and myself. For me, it lasted about six months.

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Gary Worrell, Dennis Goddard and me in front of Exile, 1982

Artist Dianne Lawrence gets photographed in front of Exile, 1982

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That’s artist Stephen Seemayer on the ladder, remodeling the Exile logo for “Sex in Exile,” April 25-May 12, 1982.