INTERVIEW with PETER LEVITT

by Hotel St. George Correspondent

Peter Levitt lives in my building.  I had heard from neighbors that he was a painter.  He moved in some fairly big circles in the late 1980's in New York.  He always seemed pretty grumpy to me, but over the last year I'd been running into him in the hall or taking out the trash and we had some friendly conversations.  When Hotel St George came up with the idea for an interview section on the site called "The Interrogation Room", I thought Mr. Levitt would be the perfect person to talk to.  It took some convincing but I finally managed to get him to sit for a quick Q&A.  After some initial struggles with the clip on microphone we uncomfortably eased into our conversation.

 

**

 

PETER LEVITT: [pffft] is this thing o..[pffft pfft] can you HEAR me? [muffled]ear me?

 

HOTEL ST GEORGE: Yes, I'm just..

 

PL: [muffled]eem to clip this damn thing..

 

HSG: Let me help you..

 

PL: Can damn well get it.. [muffled]uch like Peter Falk.

 

HSG: Peter Falk?

 

PL: Marvelous actor. Marvelous actor.  Love his work.

 

HSG: 'Columbo'?

 

PL: Well, erm, yes 'Columbo' and.. well.. yes.

 

HSG: So I thought I'd just ask you some factual things..

 

PL: When I was born and such?  Eh?  Then straight on to the War.  Ha.

 

HSG: Kind of.. Actually I was more interested in the paintings.

 

PL: Well the just.. Damn these chairs are uncomfortable.

 

HSG: Yeah, I know but they keep me sitting correctly.  That couch over there is too saggy.

 

PL: Freegan.

 

HSG: Excuse me?

 

PL: Painting.  The paintings.  My paintings.

 

HSG: Well, yes.  You were born in 1937, correct?

 

PL:  I was.  I was.  Turned 70 three weeks ago.

 

HSG: Happy birthday.

 

PL: Well it's something, I suppose.

 

HSG: And when did you start painting?

 

PL: Ha, well not in my crib. Ha.  I didn't start until..oooooh..twenty years ago or so.

 

HSG: Oh, I didn't realize it was so late?

 

PL: Now you realize.

 

HSG: Yes.  And when did you start attaching the sound devices to them, was that right away or..

 

PL: Yes, right away.  The first one was this giant canvas.  Blood all over the place.  A real mess.  But the voice that beckoned you to come and look at it was the sweetest voice in the world.  My angel.

 

HSG:  This was Susan?

 

PL: My second wife.  Voice like an angel.  She did the voices for all my paintings in the late 80's early 90's.  Until the big C, you know.  Ha.

 

HSG: Ha?

 

PL: You've got an odd personality.

 

HSG: Thanks?

 

PL: No probl[cough]..

 

HSG: So whose voice did you use afterwards?

 

PL: Oh lots of people, lots of people.  But I had to make the images less…uh…vulgar, I suppose.  Their voices couldn't sell it.  Couldn’t sell the work.  So I had to find the amount of repulsiveness, in balance with the convincing-ness - is that a word?

 

HSG: Right now, yes.

 

PL: Ha.  Convincing-ness of their voice.  It's a fine balance, you see?  Now Susan could convince you to look at a suppurating wound at one listen.  'Look into the heart of darkness,' she could say, and ooh that voice.  You would LOOK.  You really would.  But with the others.  The other voices, I really had to tone down.  And then…

 

HSG: Then?

 

PL:  You got some coffee...or whiskey ha. Or something?

 

HSG: Yes sir.

 

PL: Indulge an old man, please.

 

HSG: We got some bourbon.

 

PL: Perfect my [muffle]!!  You know I'm happy to help out with this little press of yours.  It was kind of you to invite me up to do this thing.  I don't have a computer though.  So maybe when you got things all ready I can come take a look?

 

HSG: Of course.  No problem.  Here you go.

 

PL: Thanks.  ? votre sant?.

 

HSG: Cheers. [clink]  So the later work.  I haven't seen anything from you in a while?

 

PL: Well I felt the work suffered because I couldn't produce the intended effect with these new voices.  Without Susan.  Sales dropped off and all that.  I guess I got real bitter.  Not bad holding off on the bitterness until age 65, eh? Ha.

 

HSG:  You should hear us in our press meetings and we're only in our 30s.

 

PL: Ha.  Well I guess I ended up driving people slowly away.  'Don't want to see my paintings?  Fine.  Don't.  In fact, I'll drive you away.  I'll dare you NOT to look at them.' 

 

HSG:  This is when you started recording your own voice?

 

PL:  Yeah those were my roughest paintings yet.  Not even realistic.  Pure ugly abstractions.  Purples and reds and blacks and browns, you know.  And my ugly voice.. just telling every.. [pause] telling everyone [pause] just go away.. just go away..

 

[pause]

 

[muffled]

 

I'm sorry.  Well, I guess you got a Barbara Walters moment.  Me all weepy eyed.

 

HSG: Thank you Mr. Levitt.

 

PL: [muffled]chairs are so damn uncomfortable. 

 

HSG: Yeah we should probably get some cushions or something.

 

PL: Ha.  Yeah right.  Well, that should be good.  Say, thanks for the whiskey son.  And for getting me out of my apartment.

 

HSG:  No.  Man. Thank you, Mr. Levitt.  Let me just unclip this for y[clip] [pfft]