«REALIZATION» (A Spotify Playlist)

Monday night, sitting at Tompkins Square Park enjoying the night air: A woman and a man at a nearby bench sit within the periphery of the Hare Krishna tree. She takes pictures of the moon with a SLR camera, which she carefully places in a cart after use. Her friend plays freestyle records on a Bluetooth speaker and conjures dance moves. Gestures with the hands in time to the music…robotic moves… I travel to the Paradise Garage on a Friday night.

I figure it’s time to go back to the Ranch, so I start walking. When I open the door it’s 11:01 p.m.: I feel inspired to put together a playlist, thinking of freestyle, Lady Gaga’s Chromatica album, and 1987—they year I arrived in New York City.

This playlist then emerges, featuring Lady Gaga, Stacey Q, Giggles, Nice & Wild, Naked Eyes (with Madonna as guest vocalist in a Jellybean remix), New Order, Depeche Mode, Strafe, Adonis, and Cynthia & Johnny O.

I listen to it last night in exactly the same place and position as this drawing by Dan Romer of a photo by Van taken at his house in Ocean Grove. I am transported to a place of connection…the lighting and thunder aligns with each portal I cross… The wind blows, the chimes ring…

In the illustration, I’m wearing a tie-dye tee from the L Train Vintage and Slinky Brand pedal-pusher nylon stretch pants Kelly found at the trading post in his building.