Bambino's Juicy Gossip Column, No. 1

Note from Edward_: My boyfriend/partner/husband (one day)...I call him "Bambino"...knew very little about contemporary art when we met (nearly 4 years ago now), but he's always been incredibly supportive and the truth is, I couldn't do half of what I'm doing without him. English is his 4th and newest language, but he's wonderfully fluent in flirting in any language and continues to amaze me and my friends (who've been networking in the art world for years) with how easily he'll meet someone and start up a friendship. Literally, if there's a famous curator or collector or whomever at a party that I want to meet, I just point that person out and within 10 minutes Bambino has totally charmed that person and is introducing me. Often, after we leave a party, I have to tell him how famous his new fan is in art circles, but he rarely cares. He judges people based on the social currency most valuable to him: how juicy their gossip is.

So I've invited Bambino to share his networking secrets and juiciest stories in a series we'll call "Bambino's Juicy Gossip Column." If you're in the art world (or any scene where contacts are important) and want to brush up on your networking skills, I highly recommend taking note.

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"Dancing around the Art Crowd"

Here are my thoughts about being surrounded by the talented, young, old, famous, unfamous, rich crowd in the NY art world. Based on my personal experience I think if you are a person who loves and appreciates art, likes to be seen in art world, enjoys conversation and some gossip, it's easy to join that crowd and earn a lot of new friends and make a new circle of friends if you would have enough time for everyone.

But there are a lot of things you have to go to and attend. It doesn't come to you.

As a non art person (I am not a big collector yet, I am not an artist,
and I am not an art dealer), I really do enjoy going to art openings, meeting new people, checking out who is there, what they wear, how they look and more importantly introducing people to each other. It's really easy for me to introduce them to each other, as I can be generous to any person with compliments and am a totally non shy person. It's a piece of cake.

Here is how I met my latest famous artist whom I had no idea who it was until we left the opening. Another artist introduced us to a woman who said she's the wife of an artist. I really enjoyed this "wife's" company...such a lovely lady. (I think I have found another source for fresh gossip, if I'll see her again.) After having a few drinks and gossiping, her husband came up. Edward later told me he was the world-famous painter Philip Pearlstein. Anyway, my point is that we didn't have to do anything to meet her husband, she introduced us to him. They were just nice people to me.

My point is, don't be shy, be happy, give away compliments, smile and you'll see it's easy to meet new people. As the famous Russian children song says, "Friendships start with smile."

Dilin kemigi yoktur
("The tongue has no bones")