Caveat Emptor by Ken Perenyi Page A

couldn’t have been in a better position. The location of the loft was perfect, and Tony had all the contacts. In fact, I had already been brought to the attention of Robert Hughes, the author and art critic. Tony was friends with Robert and had met Richard Neville, the publisher of Oz magazine, at Robert’s loft in SoHo when Richard was visiting from London in late ’72.
    Oz was the leading British counterculture magazine started by Richard in the 1960s. Grossly obscene, drug oriented, and politically radical, Oz enraged the British public. It exemplified the philosophy of the counterculture and promoted every type of deviant sexual activity. It featured columns such as “Letter from an Ever-Open Pussy” and articles like “The Queen’s Vernacular,” a satirical compendium of gay slang.
    The magazine finally provoked the wrath of the British government with its hilarious sexual satires, often aimed at political and royal figures. After numerous warnings went unheeded, the government took action and charged Richard and his editors with criminal obscenity. As the trial date approached, protests in support of Oz broke out around London. Some were violent and attracted celebrities like John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Meantime, Richard was having engraved invitations mailed out to subscribers, inviting them to attend “Obscene Courtroom Dramas” at the Marylebone Magistrates’ Court.
    On the day of the trial, Richard argued the case himself, defending the magazine’s right to free speech and expression. He and his cohorts lost and were slammed with fifteen years in prison. There were riots in the street. Then, in a stunning reversal, the case was reviewed and thrown out. The magazine continued to be published and was never shut down by the government. The case inspired a play titled Oz that opened briefly in the East Village.
    While Richard, Robert, and Tony were having drinks at Max’s, Richard mentioned that he was on the lookout for something “far-out” for the cover of his magazine. It occurred to Tony that the surrealistic masterpiece I had done years before—my impression of the Castle, which was decorating the wall of my studio on Fifth Avenue—might be just the thing for him. Richard was interested and asked Tony to bring the painting to Robert’s loft. When Richard saw it, he was impressed and wanted to meet me.
    The next day, I went to Robert’s loft in SoHo and met both Robert Hughes and Richard Neville. It was agreed that the painting would be sent to London and used on the cover of his magazine.
    When Oz came out some months later, the cover was attacked as “disgusting” by the public, and I was immediately contacted by the Portal Gallery, located just off New Bond Street. They were interested in giving me a show, but I was in no position to take advantage of the opportunity. Besides, I was through with surrealistic paintings and wanted to get on with more serious art. The upshot was that I had made an impression on Robert Hughes, and he was interested in what I’d be doing in the future.
    On Union Square, I sometimes saw Andy Warhol out on the street on his way to his building. He began giving me very hard stares, and if by chance I passed him and looked back, he’d be standing there waiting. I realized that he wanted to meet me, but I foolishly put it off, reasoning that I’d have plenty of time to meet him and invite him to the loft as soon as my collection was finished.
    In the meantime, a steady stream of friends was dropping in. Frosty Myers, the sculptor, was a constant visitor. His most famous piece was a long, wavy tube painted red that was suspended above the bar at Max’s. Julian Schnabel was another who would stop by. Sometimes we’d all get in the Jeep and cruise around the Village trying to pick up girls.
    And of course there was Michelle, my beautiful uptown model who’d stop by between fashion shoots