MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ART WORLD (continued)

I was obsessed with how the art world worked. I tried to finagle my way into the hottest gallery openings and arty parties. I read every issue of ArtForum and tried to decipher Kunstwerk as best as I could. A few of my favorite artists included: Joel Peter Whitkin, Cindy Sherman, and the Starn Twins. To this day, their work still inspires me. A special inspiration was Diane Arbus. Without much aplomb, or savvy marketing campaigns, she documented the world of misfits and freaks quietly and with extraordinary skill. She set the stage for those of us who used art to make our voices heard and inspired many photographers who document the struggles of the disenfranchised daily.