The Worst Advices We've Heard For John Foker Artist
The Boston Globe and John Foker artist are accusing each other of plagiarism in an article that appeared in the January-February issue. In this article the Globe accused Dr. Fokers of using elements of his art to create a work of Charles Bukowski. Specifically they claimed that it was a plagiarism of a letter from the artist to the artist, in which Fokers allegedly recommended that Bukowski draw on his life. Bukowski denied the allegations, stating that he never received any instructions from Fokers. According to the Globe, the following is the text of a letter sent by John Foker to the artist, in which the following exchange is highlighted:
“Dear Sir: I beg to inform you that I saw a painting in a museum recently which reminded me of your manner of working and am anxious to borrow some of your ideas for a future work. Sincerely, John Foker.”
– Artist's reply: “Dear John – Your letter is very flattering of me and my personality, and I would like you to know that my paintings are the expression of my feelings and thoughts, and not merely a product of imagination. I have never felt at all embarrassed to borrow from anyone else's work. My paintings are my own – the result of my feelings and emotions, and not plagiarized.” – Artist's Letter to John Foker, quoted in Boston Globe, January-February, 1990
– Artist's response: “Dear John – I greatly appreciate your letter of January 6th. Your suggestion that I should make a study of your letter and draw some of my own elements is both polite and kind. It made me realize that the public has never before seen me at work and that I can say a lot about what my feelings are about whatever I am painting. I take your suggestions seriously and look forward to meeting you and perhaps painting a portrait of your family in your home. ” I hope you will paint with me sometime.”
– Artist's letter to John Foker, quoted in Boston Globe, February-March, 1990. – Artist's response: “I greatly appreciate your letter of February 6th. Your suggestion that I should make a study of your letter and draw some of my own elements from it is both kind and courteous. I have never felt at all embarrassed to borrow from anyone else's work, though I have often wished that I could include some of their styles in my own paintings.
– Boston Globe interview with John F. Kennedy, January 1990. – Art Collections: John F. Kennedy and His Paintings. – Art Historian, Art gallery director and professor at the University of Texas at Austin. – Author of The Last Supper, a book and exhibition of art and celebrity art. – Author of Artist's Manifesto.
– Interview by American Folk Art Association, August 1990. – Interview by Jon Kite and Tom Wesselmann, authors of Postcards from the West Coast. – Interview by Jack Zipes, author of Conversations with People. – Interview by Peter Keough, author of The Artist's Way. – Interview by Bill Powers and Mark Atkins, authors of Power Words.
– Interview by Beverly Barton and Max Weinreich, authors of Art For Doers: A Personal Search for Excellence. – Interview by Paul Schlesinger, author of Real Age and Time. – Interview by Philip Johnson, author of Seeing Age. – Interview by Jack Zipes, author of American Painting. – Exhibitions mentioned include: AIDS: A History, The Art Institute of Chicago, Boston Arts Museum, Bay Area Institute of Art, Harvard University, Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit, Seattle Art Museum, and more.
“Dear Sir: I beg to inform you that I saw a painting in a museum recently which reminded me of your manner of working and am anxious to borrow some of your ideas for a future work. Sincerely, John Foker.”
– Artist's reply: “Dear John – Your letter is very flattering of me and my personality, and I would like you to know that my paintings are the expression of my feelings and thoughts, and not merely a product of imagination. I have never felt at all embarrassed to borrow from anyone else's work. My paintings are my own – the result of my feelings and emotions, and not plagiarized.” – Artist's Letter to John Foker, quoted in Boston Globe, January-February, 1990
– Artist's response: “Dear John – I greatly appreciate your letter of January 6th. Your suggestion that I should make a study of your letter and draw some of my own elements is both polite and kind. It made me realize that the public has never before seen me at work and that I can say a lot about what my feelings are about whatever I am painting. I take your suggestions seriously and look forward to meeting you and perhaps painting a portrait of your family in your home. ” I hope you will paint with me sometime.”
– Artist's letter to John Foker, quoted in Boston Globe, February-March, 1990. – Artist's response: “I greatly appreciate your letter of February 6th. Your suggestion that I should make a study of your letter and draw some of my own elements from it is both kind and courteous. I have never felt at all embarrassed to borrow from anyone else's work, though I have often wished that I could include some of their styles in my own paintings.
– Boston Globe interview with John F. Kennedy, January 1990. – Art Collections: John F. Kennedy and His Paintings. – Art Historian, Art gallery director and professor at the University of Texas at Austin. – Author of The Last Supper, a book and exhibition of art and celebrity art. – Author of Artist's Manifesto.
– Interview by American Folk Art Association, August 1990. – Interview by Jon Kite and Tom Wesselmann, authors of Postcards from the West Coast. – Interview by Jack Zipes, author of Conversations with People. – Interview by Peter Keough, author of The Artist's Way. – Interview by Bill Powers and Mark Atkins, authors of Power Words.
– Interview by Beverly Barton and Max Weinreich, authors of Art For Doers: A Personal Search for Excellence. – Interview by Paul Schlesinger, author of Real Age and Time. – Interview by Philip Johnson, author of Seeing Age. – Interview by Jack Zipes, author of American Painting. – Exhibitions mentioned include: AIDS: A History, The Art Institute of Chicago, Boston Arts Museum, Bay Area Institute of Art, Harvard University, Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit, Seattle Art Museum, and more.
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