Category Archives: Essays

Essay about Richard Hell, William Kennedy, and writing about one’s hometown.

Posted on December 1, 2007 by David

Main Street’s Whitewashed Windows by David Varno Journeys back to the hometown, from Richard Hell to William Kennedy Richard Hell doesn’t seem to have had a whole lot happen to him, at least not as a child. The selection he … Continue reading →

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Reporting on Coney Island preservation and development.

Posted on June 1, 2006 by David

Coney Island Revival by David Varno “We don’t oppose change in Coney Island, we just want to be a part of it,” says Coney’s de facto mayor and Coney Island USA (CIUSA) founder Dick Zigun. Zigun, in his fifties, with a graying … Continue reading →

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Short piece about Jim Long, for Sarah Bowen Gallery

Posted on May 12, 2006 by David

Studio Visit with Jim Long, April 2006 David Varno Last month I had a chance to visit Jim Long’s Soho studio to preview works that will be shown at the Sarah Bowen Gallery. First I was shown the six “Seasons” … Continue reading →

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Catalog essay for Yumi Janairo Roth, exhibition at Sarah Bowen

Posted on February 17, 2006 by David

Style Depot By David Varno It’s nearly impossible to imagine a newspaper headline ten years ago with the phrase “…PRESIDENT’S DOMESTIC SPY PROGRAM.” Yumi Janairo Roth’s work doesn’t specifically have to do with surveillance, but her “Disco Barriers”—meticulously mirror- encrusted … Continue reading →

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Reporting on bike messengers in New York, and why they do it.

Posted on November 1, 2005 by David

Bike Messengers: Beta Still Rules on the Street by David Varno Recall the character of Wizard inTaxi Driver, played by Peter Boyle. When DeNiro’s brooding beginner cabbie comes to him for advice, he’s met with a semi-coherent ramble, in which … Continue reading →

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