can i have one of those chesterfields now?

dennis lee hopper 1936-2010

having lived and worked in venice for a number of years, there
were many sightings of dennis hopper in the neighborhood. he
took great interest in the battle between the city of los angeles
and the graffiti artists of the west side. the back and forth of
buffing up works and then the repainting of the walls. you used
to see him out taking photographs along brooks ave every now
and then.

seems appropriate to a large extent. he may have had that same
battle in his own persona. "how does one remember him"?,
becomes the biggest question. i saw him speak at the walker
art center in 1989 during a 20th anniversary screening of easy
rider. you could hear the reagan republican side of him through
his word choice, yet there he was: the director of a film that stands
out as the paradigm for freedom-seeking counter-cultural
revolutionists.

basketball, abstract expressionism, photography, graffiti art,
literature, political thought and, of course, stage and film work
were only a few of his passions.

great career and interesting life, to say the least. it would be
difficult to beat his performance in giant, easy rider, blue
velvet, apocalypse now, hoosiers, speed, river's edge or
the small role in true romance across from christopher
walken. what would be even more difficult is to forget his
contribution to not only his profession, but american culture
itself.