Hi parker1234,
I sent the following email message to Knoedler Publishing:
----- Original Message -----
From: Eric J*******
To: sheila@knoedlerpublishing.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 1:02 PM
Subject: Neiman sculpture
Is there a way for you to pass along a question to LeRoy Neiman?
If you can, the question is "Did he once, about 25 years ago, live in
the 1800 block of North Orleans Street in Chicago, and, if so, did he
perhaps leave behind a bird sculpture that he had done when he moved
from that address?"
Happy holidays, and thanks for your help,
Eric J*******
Dallas, Texas
After a couple of tries, I received this reply:
---------
Sorry, no. he never lived there.
---------
That would be the answer, I think, except that subsidiary
investigation turns up the fact that "LeRoy Neiman was born in St.
Paul, Minnesota, and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, De Paul
University, and the University of Illinois. He taught at the Art
Institute of Chicago's school for ten years. Neiman moved to New York
City in 1963 when he had his first one-man show at the Hammer
Gallery."
http://www.rogallery.com/neiman_leroy/neiman-biography.htm
That information says to me that there is still a remote possibility
that Neiman did live in the neighborhood you mentioned, and that the
respondent from Knoedler is either mistaken or just too lazy to
actually ask Neiman for the answer. If either of those things is true,
then your sculpture could indeed be a Neiman.
On the other hand, if your 25 year timeline is correct, then it's
unlikely the sculpture is by Neiman since he's been gone from Chicago
for 40 years. The only way to be certain, since it's virtually
impossible to contact a public figure like Neiman directly, is to try
to establish a personal relationship with his gallery, and hope they
will speak with him on your behalf, or, perhaps, find out if he is
having a personally attended show where you could actually meet and
talk with him (I have no idea if Mr. Neiman, who is now 75, still
ventures forth to meet with his public, but, since he's an obviously
gregarious man, if his health is still good, he may very well do so.)
Here's his gallery:
Hammer Galleries, LLC
33 West 57th Street
New York, New York 10019
Phone: (212) 644-4400
There's one other route you might try. According to one website "by
his own account he is a workaholic, taking no vacations and having no
hobbies. He lives with his wife in a double high studio in the Hotel
des Artistes, a landmark in New York City." You might try simply
addressing a letter to him, in care of that hotel, and see if he
responds.
http://www.artlover.org/more_art/artist_bios/neim-bio.html
I didn't post this as an official "answer" because of the inability to
be 100% certain of my results, but if you feel the work is sufficient
to your needs, please let me know and I will post it and gratefully
accept your fee.
Thanks for your question, and happy holidays!
ericynot-ga |