Dear World….let me introduce the artist (painter)…

This in going to be one of the last posts on this unnoticed blog. One of the final days of this website because my research to date has advised me to take another route. The advice came from a very well respected source and I am intelligent enough to take good advice.

My commitment to doing the right thing, in memory of Barry and in respect of his work means taking a different route, it will be a longer one. It will mean the artwork remains under my wing for longer than I had hoped, but not doing the wrong thing is vital. I have now been told the best thing to do, a good starting point and it feels refreshing to have a point from which to plan the journey from today. 1 April 2023…don’t be no fool….

I am both excited and intrigued by this next step. In some ways it is definitely a step back, I wanted to get rid of the works, to sell them. That would mean they were out in the world, it would also give the funds to allow me to do something in remembrance of Barry. But, I am advised, don’t sell the work. Because Barry shunned the art establishment, and because the art establishment only has itself as a reference both Barry and his works are unknown within the small circles of the ‘Art World’. It is a little bit like a credit history score, if you have never borrowed a penny, you are unable to be judged in terms of your ability to manage and repay debt. As such because you have never needed to borrow; presumably an indicator you have money, but also a factor that makes you a high risk borrower now.

For the first time I will be departing from Barry’s own practice. As the artist Barry conversed directly with his audience, he entertained them and sold directly to them from his own studio and small gallery. He had no interest in moving in the circles of the establish art markets. As such he is unknown to the art world, his works are unspoken about in the circles that ‘matter’ and the value of his works is undeterminable to me. I do not have the cache of being the artist, of attracting the audience as the creator of the works, I am just the custodian of them with a desire to do what is right. Barry sold his works for sums beyond what I am currently able to achieve and as such I have the choice of either just ‘banging them out’ and getting whatever I can. Likely to be small sums and then do a little with that, or waiting to see if Barry is an artist of significance who is thus far overlooked.

Getting any reputable auction house to take the works is unlikely, they would incur costs beyond what the work is likely to fetch, the work needs to earn it place at the table, so to speak. I am not confident if Barry was in the position of being at the end of his life and having to make a decision about his work beyond his life, what he would do. I know Barry was a serious artist, he took his own work seriously and was of the opinion he mattered and his work had merit at an intellectual level. So who knows what he would have done, would he have embraced a world he had previously shunned to ensure the works were not forgotten, where not trashed and were in the world with the respect he know he and they deserved. I do not know, I cannot know. What I know is that I have to do the very best I can. I have to know if the works are the beautiful, accomplished pieces I believe the are. To know if that feeling I get with I stand in front of one, just like I get when I stand in front of other great artists, such as Rothko is the indicator I feel it is, that these are significant works of art and there is a place for them at the table.

Doing something…but doing the right something informs me to take the advice. Don’t sell the works now. Don’t take the few thousand someone with a lovely large farmhouse will pay for something for their kitchen. Bring the work, the artist, to the attention of the world. Get some exhibitions, promote the story, the work, the artist, build a reputation and create a dialogue so when people search Barry White, they find the story, the work, the valued opinions, the trail and that will ultimately advise me if there is place at the table for this work and then I can present it to the market for sale and do something with the funds. It may be another 10 years, I will then be 70! It starts today and Barry better be pulling from above because I need all the help I can get.

Dear World….let me introduce the artist (painter)…’the lesser known’ Barry White.

I have always refused to use the name Barry White and have tried many ways round it. Initially (16 September 2019) I set up Barry White Gallery and within days questioned if I had any right to use Barry’s name. I had at that time received Barry’s blessing to take his work, sell it and use the money to help artists. But I had a sudden awareness of the magnitude of using another persons name; I backtracked. Now, over three and a half years later, I realise I should have gone with my instinct. I need to use Barry White’s name in association with his work. The Forgotten Gallery will be remembered, but it will also be laid to rest and Barry White will be the name atop this project.