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Letter from Robert Zakanitch


From Robert Zakanitch -- I am happy to get in touch with you as I recently was sent your book on Ben Cunningham. I want to thank you so much for writing it. You indeed writ for the underdog! It brought back vividly my years in art school studying with Ben and Hans Beckman --a good friend of his. I was very taken by the book. It filled in so many gaps and stated so clearly his many years of undeserved obscurity even after his showing at MOMA with the OP-ART exhibitions (never did see a one man show of his there). He was so much more than all that simple tricky work. I remember after studying with him for all that time upon seeing Albers work and thinking it was comparatively so thin and ABC in concept. Been was involved with the soul of color not its surface (altering its state of being) and what it can do on a very deep level. The intensity was beyond magic. I was also happy to read that he finally did receive some recognition even tho it was relational to OP. Ben was the greatest colorist I've every come across in my lifetime. He gave me new eyes and ears. Again I can't thank you enough for creating (writing) such an important beautiful book to put into the world. rt

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