Salvatore Scarpitta -
"In the mid-1960s he created a series of racing cars, among them the 'Rajo Jack Special,' a reproduction of the car driven by one of the country’s first African-American racecar drivers, and 'Lynx,' a full-size, fully operational World War II armored car" - from his NYTimes obituary.
His cars were included in the 1972 Venice Biennale. Many photos on the ESSO Gallery site... check out Germano Celant!
"He raced them as part of a team at a dirt track near his second home in New Oxford, Pa., the name of his crew sponsor — the Leo Castelli Gallery — emblazoned on the side of his own car, No. 59" - from the NYTimes obituary.
"These works are extraordinary, carrying the sensibility of weight-of-the-world weariness coupled with red-eyed determination, both grim and joyous, of the working class movement." - James Harithas
Cocoa Dust, 1958
Ernie Triplett Special, 1965-69
untitled, 1958
Maybe this is Vitamin C?
Overpass, 1962
RELATED: Richard Prince at Frieze
Martin, thank you for supporting my father and his work on your blog. It was greatly appreciated by us and beautifully presented by you. Daddy was truly a very cool guy. My sister Lola and I miss him very very much. So it was a nice surprise to see what you had done for him. Buon lavoro!
ReplyDeleteWarmest regards,
Stella Scarpitta
hey, you're welcome! i was so happy to find his work; i've been doing some wrapping-like stuff with some of my own recent paintings, and the cars were a bonus (thinking about richard prince, and his frieze project).
ReplyDeletei will look forward to somewhere seeing his work for real.
actually, for people who have only seen the stuff i've posted, you should google him...
ReplyDeletelots of interesting stuff, floor pieces and wall pieces (i only posted stuff that most directly relates to my own current work).
here's some -
http://www.art-life.com/MOCA/scarpitta/portfolio2/index.html
http://www.art-life.com/MOCA/scarpitta/portfolio1/index.html
you can click on the individual works for enlargements.
My sincerest condolences, to the family.
ReplyDeleteSal, really was so much larger than life itself, in every facet imaginable. And every time we ever met, was a momentum occassion.
I feel privelaged, and honored to have even met him.
I know that he was truly loved by his, family.
My love to all
Christian (LZ)
Sal impacted my life to an extent only he could know. I miss him every day. He opend a world of possibility to a small town teenage boy from a blue collar family. I have traveled the world and lived life differently and fuller than I could ever have hoped or dreamed. The nick name I have for my son is Sal. His legacy is not only in his works but the lives he touched along the way.
ReplyDeleteYou are missed my friend.
Rich L.
I am looking for Stella. We went to AMDA in 1991. I have been looking for her for years. I just found your page honoring her Fathers amazing work. I had no idea that he had passed. If there is any way you can tell her that Stephanie Miller is looking for her I would be so thankful. I miss her dearly. Thank you for this page and for the possibility of finding a very dear friend.toy
ReplyDeleteSincerely, Stephanie Miller
hi stephanie - she was on facebook but i think is not on it anymore... maybe contact Marianne Boesky Gallery, which represents her father.
ReplyDelete