On Oct 2, 2007 Gertrude Stein wrote to all involved: I have a copy of the Israeli will, and Boris, I think wanted everything to be combined for his father's S & J Foundation and the NO!art Foundation. This was his wish after he became ill, and Motte was ill. We spoke about it often. I intend to keep the S & J foundation completely for his mother and sisters rememberance to help Jewish causes.
His NO!art Foundation should be, as he wanted to keep the collection together and help financially, artists with a political bent who do not get help from the establishment, as he did not.
Perhaps you could fill me in on what Boris had in mind when he spoke to you of the will, as he told me you were one of the executors. Any clarity at this point would be
very helpful.. ►more
On August 11, 2009 ►Amikam Goldman wrote to Dietmar Kirves und Clayton Patterson: this came today, I had the feeling for a long time, she is holding the cards covered, deep under her arm... but still - this hits me as a big surprised, what a joke... is this thing for real ?...
On Aug 11, 2009 Gertrude Stein wrote to
a.tijhuis@rechten.vu.nl;
alan.faufel@bonhams.com;
andrew@wilsonauctions.com,
alan@doylenewyork.com;
ami33go@hotmail.com;
christine@clfinearts.com
Subject: The Boris Lurie Foundation | http://borislurieartfoundation.org
Director: Gertrude Stein
Co-Directors: William Pepper, fired 2014 + Geo Campanovo + Peter Sprenger
new 2011: Anthony Williams
THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE BORIS LURIE FOUNDATION
The Mission of the Boris Lurie Foundation is dedicated to reflect the life, work and aspirations of the Founder and to preserve and promote the NO! ART movement with its focus on the social visionary in art and culture. As its first priority the Foundation will undertake to develop and archive an inventory of the massive work product produced by Boris Lurie as well as the works of other NO! ART artists which are under its control. It will then begin the task of carrying out the restoration of this body of work and develop a plan for bringing it before the public and institutions of learning. Public exhibitions and private shows are to be scheduled and held in selected venues throughout the world.
The Foundation will annually contribute funds in support of projects and undertakings that fall within the scope of the Foundation’s purposes and are in the spirit of Mr Lurie’s bequest. It is therefore anticipated that the projects, programs and activities supported by Foundation grants will include the following:
The development of a program of exhibitions and showings of the art work of Boris Lurie and the NO! ART artists;
The funding and support of unrecognized artists from all over the world and the sponsorship of internship programs in collaboration with selected institutions, universities and institutes;
The acquisition, on a selected basis, of additional works of art compatible with the purposes of the Foundation;
The sponsorship of, and support for, such social action programs and projects as the Directors deem worthy of the Foundation’s support.
Through this range of activity the Boris Lurie Foundation believes it will make a material contribution to the artistic, social and educational life of the community.
Contact: info@borislurieart.org
Nonprofit Explorer | Research Tax-Exempt Organizations
BORIS LURIE ART FOUNDATION
50 CENTRAL PARK WEST, NEW YORK, NY 10023—6006
Tax—exempt since May 2009
EIN: 98-0590515
Classification (NTEE)
Arts, Cultural Organizations — Multipurpose (Arts, Culture and Humanities)
Nonprofit Tax Code Designation: 501(c)(3)
Defined as: Organizations for any of the following purposes: religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition (as long as it doesn’t provide athletic facilities or equipment), or the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.
Donations to this organization are tax deductible.
[Question: Who donates something to someone who already has $100 million?]
Source: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/980590515
COMMENTS:
On Feb 6, 2006 Martin Levit wrote: Dear Friends of Uncle Boris, It is just wonderful that everyone is so hopeful about Boris. Most of it sounds like pitiful and discordant whistling. I was under the impression from Boris, though he wasn't thrilled with it; he planned to have Gertrude Stein's son to be in charge of the foundation named for his sister and mother and also if he would help perpetuate the art work that Boris has done. He would also would try to keep "No!art" functioning.
It seems that Everyone is pretending that Boris will soon be at the ►Cedar Bar hosting a gathering of artists. If Boris survives this latest incident he will be in no shape to live alone. He will need constant care and rehabilitation. To use a common simile, "Someone has to step up to the plate as a pinch hitter for Comrade Boris". If he had been sent to a rehab to begin with, he would be vigorous and making money and doing art work and torturing a slew of Hispanic workers.
The ideal situation would be a decent apartment with a live in, tough, middle aged, illegal Mexican woman in control.
Boris is easy to control, he is not a fighter, he is a survivor. If he survives this last gambit, it is an ideal time for him to create art and find a staff for his foundation.
I hope somebody can find someway to convince Boris that he is now as famous as Giotto and should just do art work, to help fill out his legend. Or he can continue to play ►Daddy Warbucks and work on his market ventures; but in a controlled environment. If he is left in charge, he is a "dead man".
Isn't there someone who will take charge?
A worried - 80 year old friend, Martin Levitt
On May 31, 2009 Clayton Patterson wrote to Gertrude Stein: Make no mistake. I hope that your son is getting better and that he will have a full recovery— ill will against your health or your families health or good fortune is outside of this fight— this fight is not personal— this fight is about your attempted take over of Boris's history and your reckless abuse of Boris's history. The fact is that non of us can do everything— so sharing is needed— it is important for each person to do what they do best in this struggle— however you have chosen to try and eliminate Dietmar and myself from this struggle of saving Boris's history. And this is your mistake.
as to Lurie—
Apparently Matthias is coming on June 2nd— His show is based on Boris and the art used are Boris's reproduction prints— this exhibition is also based on the fact that Matthias did a previous No!art exhibition in 1995. Matthias is setting himself up as the expert. Make no mistake that both Mattahias can plant the seeds for his position as can Estera— both of these people I disagree with.
You are wrong not to support the NO!art site and Dietmar.
As to your statement about you have something planned— and some big event is going to happen— that is bullshit and you know it— You are wrong to think that you can do something about this work— You have never created an artist— you are good at buying and selling— But Boris has to be discovered and this is not your strong point. Wake up before you push Boris into total oblivion—
IN terms of history I will hold you responsible for the decline and disappearance of Boris. You like to talk about radical politics and outsider points of views— well make no mistake I have been involved in radical politics— make no mistake I do not give a shit about much of what the establishment thinks or is up to—— make no mistake I do have the ability to make books, movies, and so on, and get my messages into the mainstream— make no mistake I hold you responsible— make no mistake having a creative artist like me working in this direction I will make sure that somewhere in history it will be understood what you have done— make no mistake I could go into court with this mess— make no mistake I have a piece of paper that Boris put me on the board and you have excluded me— make no mistake I could give a shit about Boris's money or owning his art— but that said— make no mistake that I will always be pushing for Boris to get the attention he deserves— so make no mistake to have someone who has nothing to lose and could care less about the social consequences I will make something happen and you will be a part of it.
I think that you are better off working with me rather than against me— but it seems that you have chosen to be an enemy of the movement rather than a part of it—— fine. All Dietmar and I want is for Boris to get his place in history— and it is my concern that Dietmar gets support for his all work on this No!art project. By not supporting the work Dietmar does, you are trying to kill the history— not sure what this is about— but that is the results of you hoarding the work
and doing nothing.
On Aug 11, 2009 Amikam Goldman wrote to Dietmar and Clayton: ►this come in today. I had the feeling for a long time, she is holding the cards covered, deep under her arm . . . but still — this hits me as a big surprised, what a joke... is this thing for real? . . .
On Aug 11, 2009 Clayton Patterson wrote to Amikam and Dietmar: it is real or not real— who knows? I know I was on a committee and I no longer am. I know that Boris thought that Gertrude, although a friend, was crazy— I know that Gertrude works with Estera and thinks that NO!art ended in the late 50's early 60's. I know that Gertrude cannot do anything in terms of promoting or making bigger what already exists. I know that Gertrude has never created an artists that she is secondary market. I know that Gertrude never dealt with anyone I know of. I know that this is a shock. I am not sure what it means— what it implies to me is that there is an estate and they control it——
On Sep 26, 2009 Gertrude Stein wrote to Dietmar Kirves: If you have any projects to promote the work and career of Boris Lurie, please let us know what it is, and what the costs are. We are very anxious to get the NO!art movement moving around the world.
On Nov 6, 2009 Clayton Patterson wrote to Amikam Goldman: Ami something really is getting suspicious here— and I have written emails to Gertrud and Dr. Pepper the lawyer and have not been getting any responses back— and the less I hear back on this the more I wonder what is going on—— what happened to the money the movers found? Why are there two foundations? What happened with the first foundation? How do the solicitations like the one in the Villager have anything to do with Boris and NO!art? Why since we had agreed in the meetings to support Dietmar has he not been given his stipend? Why has there not been any committee meetings? Why has there not even been a memorial for Boris it any kind of recognition of his death? Why is no one is paying any attention to or giving any respect to Boris and who he was? Why is the foundation now deciding to give away money by soliciting people to apply for grants, but no paying the agreed upon fees to the upkeep of the Boris NO!art archives? Does the foundation have to solicit people to apply for grants because no one has any idea of what would support No!art? Why solicit the public when the public does not even know what NO!art is?
On Nov 12, 2009 Amikam Goldman wrote to Clayton Patterson: this is what i think on the situation. but first let me tell you that i am not in touch with anyone from the "involved" persons.
I get Emails from you and Dietmar from time to time, Mathiahas sent me his film (a year ago) and we wrote to each other few mails, and Gertrude... you know when she writes you something, it is not more than 1 line... maybe 2 lines... you can't really dig much out of that. — the few times she actually did wrote something, was when Boris was in the hospital, and she gave about once a month an "up—date" about his condition. I must say I started to suspect her since then. I believe she started to "plan" things back then.
this is what I know — there is only ONE foundation, the one Gertrude is the head of the foundation. I know there was some court going on for many months after Boris death. I only assume that was Gertrude fighting Mr. Nedelman about Boris's "last" will. Mathiahs wrote me long time ago that he is NOT the head of the foundation, and I knew about the court. so I think that everything was "frozen" for a long time, and since Gertrude published out her new foundation, I guess she won the court. she has the whole control... i do know that Gertrude and Nedlman where in touch (when boris was still "alive" in the hospital, Nedelman paid me for making DVD copies, after Gertrude requested it.
I think the "first" foundation is not active and — never was... no committee meetings, and no money for dietmar...
When she published the foundation, few months ago, I wrote her that she should pay Dietmar for the AMAZING work he does for the website. she wrote me back ( in one line... ) that if he wants — he should apply for it... that was a big sad joke, I think...
in her website, she publish few articles about boris and NO!art — I'm sure that what she did was: "copy—paste" from Dietmar's website.
I do believe it's a big tragedy of great loss... I don't truly believe she wants to "work" NO!art out....
I think that her mind works in totaly different way than yours, dietmar's and mine...
to be continued . . .
On Feb 25, 2010 Gertrude Stein wrote to Dietmar Kirves: I know how much Boris admired your website, and I would like to be in touch to work with you now that we are established. please contact me
On Apr 22, 2010 Gertrude Stein wrote to Dietmar Kirves: trying to access your website.
On Apr 29, 2010 Dietmar Kirves wrote to Gertrude Stein: dear gertrude — please excuse my late answer. i am in hard working with my archives. time is running, dead is coming. next year i'm seventy. the days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years. [psalm 90:10; kjv]. i want to give all my documents including the NO!art to a museum.
and now i have to prepare all the things. my website access is http://no—art.info since february 2000.
in the moment the website contains 8.089 data files. last month i registered 96 thousand hits on my page. the interest in NO!art is growing more and more. if you put NO!art in the common search machines you will always find the results on first page and first place. but i don't know how long i can pay for the expenses. until 2006 boris supported me and my art work every month with 400 dollars. since that time i get nothing. nobody of the board staff give an answer, although boris concluded that my work should be supported after his death.
did you know who had the right on boris artworks?
did you know where boris artworks are at the time?
did you know if rene frank works with boris' art property?
maybe i will come this year to new york to see
what is going on with boris works and his friends.
best greetings from berlin dietmar
On May 25, 2010 Clayton Patterson wrote: To answer your question about what is now called the Foundation. I do not think that Boris even knew these people who are on the Foundation. I think that Gertrude started this new Foundation. I do not believe that the Foundation members have much insight into Boris’s history. How can they? Dietmar and I have the records? The communications— binders full— video tape recordings — photos and other ephemera. They have not even inquired into the content or substance as to what we have. How curious can they be about Boris’s history? I think that they are just after the 80— million dollars.
That is it.
After Boris passed, I was at the first Foundation meeting, which was held in Mr. Richard Nadelman’s office. Mr. Nadelman was Boris’s lawyer. What came about in the end was NOT what Boris had in mind.
There are serious reasons that Dr. Pepper, Gertrude, and he others want to shut out any connection to Dietmar and myself— we have the mother lode of Boris content. Much documentation on Boris. They want to make up what Boris did and said. It will take time but
eventually all will come out in the wash.
I appreciate your questions—
thanks clayton
On Jan 8, 2012 Gertrude Stein wrote: Boris died on the 8th of January, four years ago. It is a moment of sadness for all who knew and cared for him.
We are carrying out his plans for the foundation, and have achieved a great
deal in this short time.
Now our work will be a Lurie Foundation building. The property he
owned for many years, which he called STUDIO HOUSE will be a monument
to the movement he believed in and struggled for his entire life.
On January 6, 2012, ►Rocco Armento passed away, his oldest friend and collaborator for more then 50 years.
On Jan 1, 2017 at 14:46 PM Clayton Patterson wrote to William F. Pepper: Wondering if you now have a better understanding how wrong it is what BLAF is doing in Boris's name. Gertrude seems to have a hate towards Boris. She has done shows that completely contradict everything Boris stood for.
You present yourself as a man of principles. Are you? Or is Gertrude a money machine that makes people do what ever it is she wants.
Go look at the NO!art website and start to comprehend how much Dietmar has done for Boris. All BLAF did was to steal info off the site, use it without permission, and hire an expensive international legal corporation to try and steal the whole site by saying they owned the NO!art name and all the name represents.
After knowing a little about your work, to say we were shocked how you could defend BLAF and support BLAR actions, is to say the least, surprising.
Can you answer our questions? How was Gertrude able to take control over Boris's will? thanks clayton ►
Boris Lurie's Last Will
On Jan 2, 2017 at 7:42 AM William Pepper wrote to Patterson:I have not been involved with the Foundation for a number of years. Sincerely, W. F. Pepper
On Jan 2, 2017 at 9:50 AM Clayton Patterson wrote to William Pepper: No opinion? Dietmar works hard on keeping up with the past and on going history of NO!art. He captures as much as he can related to NO!art and add it to the site. You are a part of that history.
One of our goals is to bury this history as deep into the fabric of, first, American and German, and then other parts of the world. We may not have the resourses you and BLAF have, but we have the will, the drive, the ambition to carry on the fight to preserve what Boris stood for, and of course our connection to NO!art.
If you go to the site you will see it is substantial. If you are saying your only connection to the organization is when BLAF did its best to try to steal the site and all the contents off the site with an international white shoe lawyers group, the filling the board with only international corporate people, spending the Foundation money on Warhol shows, and all the other wastes that were a complete desecration to all Boris stood for, then fine, let that be your history. Just giving you a chance, mostly because I know people who have a respect for your work.
Unfortunately, it seems, you have nothing to say. This BLAF is a sad part of your legacy,…. you have joined the Trump Party. The Struggle Never Ends.
On Jan 2, 2017 at 10:30 AM William Pepper wrote: Mr. Paterson, I am trying to get you to understand that I ended all work with, and responsibility for, the Foundation years ago. Life is too short and the human rights priority demands on my time require that I focus on other problems and cases. My last book on ►MLK [= Martin Luther King] is out in 2016 and that is a separate lien on my time I wish you well for trying to honour the memory and work of Boris Laurie. Happy NEw Year. Bill Pepper
On Jan 2, 2017 at 11:12 AM Clayton Patterson wrote to William Pepper | Plain Talk: And I am trying to get you to comprehend we are working with a history here.. you are a part of that history. I do not think you have any comprehension what BLAF is doing to destroy all Boris stood for.
Human rights priority demands — Is this a joke? After what you were a part of and what BLAF is working to accomplished — all you did to disrespect and your attempt to try to destroy all Boris stood for…
We are giving you the opportunity to lay out your side.. if not.. then so what. It just means you have absolutely no understanding of what Boris stood for— you just took money, ate fine food, drink the booze, went to the parties, traveled the world, and did all you could to piss on the grave of Boris. You were a part of it.
I am trying to get you to understand that I ended all work with, and responsibility for, the Foundation years ago. — This is the kind of excuse the Nazi's used after the war.. You have to stand by what you represented.
You and all you stand for represented the BLAF.. why I was shocked you were even a part of this.. and then you hung in there so long.. the word on the street was Gertrude felt like all you were doing was asking for money, going out to eat and wanted plane fares.. and you had to leave.. what is the truth? Begging or left for the right reason? I am sure you know Gertrude by now.
You want to leave this a mystery.,. fine. It will go down surrounded in BLAF gossip, your role in all of this, and not truth. Your choice.
Do you really think Deitmar and I are just a couple of unknown goofy guys out on a lark and doing this all for fun. Make no mistake…. we are not deadly serious about what we do? .. thanks clayton
On Jan 2, 2017 at 11:24 AM William Pepper wrote: Then, carry on. We all have our mission. Good luck. WFP
On Jan 3, 2017 at 01:28 AM Clayton Patterson wrote to William Pepper: Dealing with what BLAF is a part of our mission. You were a part of BLAF. They spent hefty amounts of BLAF money trying to take down Dietmar's work and site. DIetmar has the largest collection of Boris ephemera material.. letters, binders full, photographs of the work, he designed and put together the first NO!art book, he got the NGBK show into play.. his site gets thousands of hits.. he is in correspondence with a number of institutions and people wanting to learn more about NO!art. Boris made Dietmar the head of NO!art East and me NO!art West NYC.
I gave Boris his first NYC show in something like 25 years. I brought him back. Got journalists to write articles on BOiris and is work. Introduced him to the young Russian creative community and Russian intellecutal crowd — for example Konstantine K Kusminsky… Got him into movies.. N O!art Man I made happen. Boris is in Captured,. Got him o TV. I did much to bring him out of obscurity and back into the action. Gertrude did what? A couple of shows in the 1960's? To get a glimpse int what Dietmars contribution to NOP!art and Boris… look at the NO!art site.
BLAF has never acknowledged Dietmars work, or given him one nickel, just stole material off his site. How much could you people care about Boris? It is just about the money. The Trump card is what you people played.
Dietmar is struggling and poor— and you (BLAF) have well over 80 million dollars. Do the math. You talk abut justice. Please..
Look up Boris on the site.. you and the rest of the board of BLAF spent Boris's money to show Warhol's work…then having a board made of corporate business people.. and on and on.
William this is a part of your legacy. You have an opportunity here to justify your actions.. or not.. you are a part of this history no matter what. We are carrying on. And you fight for cough cough justice… right! thanks clayton
On Jan 3, 2017 at 4:17 PM Clayton Patterson wrote to Dietmar Kirves: ... and also it seems that Pepper just does not get was a board member of BLAF. He pretents like all is wonderful. He is a part of BLAF and the corproate rip—off gangsters… I think Gertrude dumped him as he was not producing much and he was costing her money. He only wanted to go to expensive restaurants and was in need of money. I got this from a woman who worked for Gertrude. It seems that Gertrude cut his throat and threw him out. Sounds typical. Like after all the damage to Boris and you he was a part of — is all forgotten because he was given the axe.. like he is some great social humanitarian. Please!