Dear Eva,<\/p>\n
It will be almost a month since you wrote
\nto me and you have possibly forgotten your state of mind (I doubt it
\nthough). You seem the same as always, and being you, hate every minute
\nof it. Don\u2019t! Learn to say \u201cFuck You\u201d to the world once in a while. You
\nhave every right to. Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your
\nshoulder wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way
\n out, struggling, grasping, confusing, itchin, scratching, mumbling,
\nbumbling, grumbling, humbling, stumbling, numbling, rumbling, gambling,
\ntumbling, scumbling, scrambling, hitching, hatching, bitching, moaning,
\ngroaning, honing, boning, horse-shitting, hair-splitting, nit-picking,
\npiss-trickling, nose sticking, ass-gouging, eyeball-poking,
\nfinger-pointing, alleyway-sneaking, long waiting, small stepping,
\nevil-eyeing, back-scratching, searching, perching, besmirching,
\ngrinding, grinding, grinding away at yourself. Stop it and just DO!<\/p>\n
From
\n your description, and from what I know of your previous work and you
\n[sic] ability; the work you are doing sounds very good
\n\u201cDrawing-clean-clear but crazy like machines, larger and bolder\u2026 real
\nnonsense.\u201d That sounds fine, wonderful \u2013 real nonsense. Do more. More
\nnonsensical, more crazy, more machines, more breasts, penises, cunts,
\nwhatever \u2013 make them abound with nonsense. Try and tickle something
\ninside you, your \u201cweird humor.\u201d You belong in the most secret part of
\nyou. Don\u2019t worry about cool, make your own uncool. Make your own, your
\nown world. If you fear, make it work for you \u2013 draw & paint your
\nfear and anxiety. And stop worrying about big, deep things such as \u201cto
\ndecide on a purpose and way of life, a consistant [sic] approach to even
\n some impossible end or even an imagined end\u201d You must practice being
\nstupid, dumb, unthinking, empty. Then you will be able to DO!<\/p>\n
I
\n have much confidence in you and even though you are tormenting
\nyourself, the work you do is very good. Try to do some BAD work \u2013 the
\nworst you can think of and see what happens but mainly relax and let
\neverything go to hell \u2013 you are not responsible for the world \u2013 you are
\nonly responsible for your work \u2013 so DO IT. And don\u2019t think that your
\nwork has to conform to any preconceived form, idea or flavor. It can be
\nanything you want it to be. But if life would be easier for you if you
\nstopped working \u2013 then stop. Don\u2019t punish yourself. However, I think
\nthat it is so deeply engrained in you that it would be easier to DO!<\/p>\n
It
\n seems I do understand your attitude somewhat, anyway, because I go
\nthrough a similar process every so often. I have an \u201cAgonizing
\nReappraisal\u201d of my work and change everything as much as possible = and
\nhate everything I\u2019ve done, and try to do something entirely different
\nand better. Maybe that kind of process is necessary to me, pushing me on
\n and on. The feeling that I can do better than that shit I just did.
\nMaybe you need your agony to accomplish what you do. And maybe it goads
\nyou on to do better. But it is very painful I know. It would be better
\nif you had the confidence just to do the stuff and not even think about
\nit. Can\u2019t you leave the \u201cworld\u201d and \u201cART\u201d alone and also quit fondling
\nyour ego. I know that you (or anyone) can only work so much and the rest
\n of the time you are left with your thoughts. But when you work or
\nbefore your work you have to empty you [sic] mind and concentrate on
\nwhat you are doing. After you do something it is done and that\u2019s that.
\nAfter a while you can see some are better than others but also you can
\nsee what direction you are going. I\u2019m sure you know all that. You also
\nmust know that you don\u2019t have to justify your work \u2013 not even to
\nyourself. Well, you know I admire your work greatly and can\u2019t understand
\n why you are so bothered by it. But you can see the next ones and I
\ncan\u2019t. You also must believe in your ability. I think you do. So try the
\n most outrageous things you can \u2013 shock yourself. You have at your power
\n the ability to do anything.<\/p>\n
I would like to see your work
\nand will have to be content to wait until Aug or Sept. I have seen
\nphotos of some of Tom\u2019s new things at Lucy\u2019s. They are impressive \u2013
\nespecially the ones with the more rigorous form: the simpler ones. I
\nguess he\u2019ll send some more later on. Let me know how the shows are going
\n and that kind of stuff.<\/p>\n
My work had changed since you left
\n and it is much better. I will be having a show May 4 -9 at the Daniels
\nGallery 17 E 64yh St (where Emmerich was), I wish you could be there.
\nMuch love to you both.<\/p>\n
Sol<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Letter from Sol Lewitt to Eva Hesse Dear Eva, It …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12749],"tags":[582,2893,2894,92,3,123,2892],"class_list":["post-2217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tumblr","tag-art","tag-eva-hesse","tag-friendship","tag-painting","tag-quote-of-the-day","tag-sculpture","tag-sol-lewitt"],"yoast_head":"\n