Postmark: January 15, 1961
[punctuation is hers]

Dear Lennart –

just got your card – Happy new year to you and Mimi. all is well working hard – have a show in march at the green gallery on 57 st. new gallery run by dick bellamy who has a backer now. bellamy used to run the old hansa gallery with ivan karp. a sculptor friend of mine (mark di suvero) had a show there recently and got pretty big write-ups in the magazines especially arts – you may have seen. my painting has changed a lot – it is a more sensitive way of painting so more exciting. in fact the who art world has changed enormously – the familiar landmarks – janis and kootz – are about where you left them but from there on its a new world – 100’s of new people painters sculptors critics dealers books magazines etc. 10th st isn’t very inside anymore – the new uptown galleries have soaked up a lot of artists from here and those who might have come. it is still active and i think important in a smaller way. i don’t know where the inside is or if there is one anymore. new york has become a kind of immigration center with artists mostly young pouring in from all over the country and other countries too and setting up shop and making huge paintings or sculpture in an optimistic way. it is good in many ways but also lonely – there is so much that the art world has broken down into many small social groups without much contact. we may cross paths with you – decided to go to Europe after miltons show in april – may stop in rome and try to get to india – really would like to get into china if possible. probably sounds funny coming from me since i hate to travel but we are depressed here – with nobody to talk to but each other – i think working in a different place with new faces and all that will be refreshing. also we have been writing poetry and it is much cheaper to publish in europe and easier to take the time. I don’t know if Pandemonium has reached rome – it is a book of poetry by artists and a little gypsy girl (5 yrs) we put out last summer – if not and if you are curious and have 2$ send it to pandemonium 353 bowery. if you only have 1$ send it to Scrap Box 163, Bowling Green Station N.Y.4. scrap is a new arts weekly paper put out by sid geist and anita ventura very good – you get 6 issues for the dollar – try to get them to send the back issues – there are 2 by now. possibly they’ll charge more for europe – i don’t know but its worth it anyway. naturally theres much more but too much to put into a letter – maybe we’ll get to rome before you leave.