{ title: 'Dan's Papers - The Montauk pioneer. (Montauk, N.Y.) 1960-current, August 30, 1969, Page 1, Image 1', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn88074877/1969-08-30/ed-1/seq-1/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn88074877/1969-08-30/ed-1/seq-1.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn88074877/1969-08-30/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn88074877/1969-08-30/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
Image provided by: Dan Rattiner
L A Volume X, N u m b er ’ August 30, 1969 11954, M o n tauk IW$? COMPLIMENTARY LUNAR SCULPTURE ON TINY ISLAND w it n e s s e s p l ie d w ith caviar and champagne In many respects, it was an ordinary art gal lery opening. The crowd stood around a small table of hors d’oeuvres, sipping pink champagne from plastic cups. The two artists, one mousta chioed, one bearded, engaged the reporter from Newsday in animated conversation, the older of the artists, Bob Dhaemers, occasionally waving a saltine spread with caviar to make a special point. “This is more or less a dedication to the lu nar effort,” he said, “to Man’s venture and effort to do something.” Flashbulbs popped and cameras clicked. Occasionally, the two artists, Mr. Dhaemers and longtime Montauk resident Ronnie Da Ros, would wander over to the huge sculpture and pose in it. It stood eighteen feet high, a magnifi cent, graceful work made of steel and concrete called LUNAR SUITE I, that you could climb around in if you so desired. “A monumental work, well done,” smiled' an art critic, walking over to the artists and shak ing each of their hands. “I want to thank you for inviting me.” And then the art critic walked down the beach to the water’s edge, waded out into the bay, climbed into his sailboat and sailed away. Which is a perfect example of one of the ways in which this was not an ordinary gallery o- pening. There were others. The “gallery,” first of all, consisted of a small, city-block-sized island located in Gardiner’s Bay, eight miles off Mon tauk. Cartwright Island, as it is known, is com pletely flat and completely uninhabited. Stand ing in the center of the island amongst the beach grass, the only vegetation growing there, one has the feeling of being aboard a barge. The beach slopes off into the water just fifty feet away on the east and west, and just two hundred feet away on the north and south. It is entirely possible to get seasick on Cartwright Island. Second of all, the huge iron and concrete sculpture which completely dominates the island may or may not be for sale, an inconsistency ne ver before presented to an admiring public at a (continued on next pagsf FREE! EVERYONE INVITED! 0 m m to D m LIGHT IN 9 P.M. SATURDAY, AUGUST 30 j': In K it picnic frcnnEt at the fact af th« Mcntaak Llfhthcnsc. 9:00 the Cannon sound* starting tha LighMn 9:00*9:30 A demonstration ot lights.' Can* dies, flashlights, lanterns, torches light tho darkness. 9:30 the Cannon sounds ending the LighMn DRESS WARM I BRINS A LIGHT (candle, flashlight lantern) The LighMn is sponsored by the Savo tho Montauk Lighthouse Committee, Bex 266, Montauk, Now York. Our goal is the permanent preservation of Montauk Light as a National Museum. Inquiries invited. Join Hie Cenunittee; a no»oreat ereenisaHen, by sending yewr name into this newspaper.
