Just Kids
Back of the Book
It was the summer Coltrane died, the summer of love and riots, and the summer when a chance encounter in Brooklyn led two young people on a path of art, devotion, and initiation.
Patti Smith would evolve as a poet and performer, and Robert Mapplethorpe would direct his highly provocative style toward photography. Bound in innocence and enthusiasm, they traversed the city from Coney Island to Forty-Second Street, and eventually to the celebrated round table of Max's Kansas City, where the Andy Warhol contingent held court. In 1969, the pair set up camp at the Hotel Chelsea and soon entered a community of the famous and infamous, the influential artists of the day and the colorful fringe. It was a time of heightened awareness, when the worlds of poetry, rock and roll, art, and sexual politics were colliding and exploding. In this milieu, two kids made a pact to take care of each other. Scrappy, romantic, committed to create, and fueled by their mutual dreams and drives, they would prod and provide for one another during the hungry years.
Just Kids begins as a love story and ends as an elegy. It serves as a salute to New York City during the late sixties and seventies and to its rich and poor, its hustlers and hellions. A true fable, it is a portrait of two young artists' ascent, a prelude to fame.
Why You Should Read It
A favorite for young artists since its publication, Patti Smith’s memoir of her time living in the Chelsea Hotel with her muse, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe captures a moment in time that found itself eroded soon after. The gritty and productive atmosphere, scrounging and creating, living from hand-to-mouth acts as almost a religious routine to nurture artistic fervor beyond the very fact of an artists’ dire financial situation, as Smith describes, turning the fact of a hard and interesting life into poetry - becoming the archetype for the tortured, starving artists.
Memorable Passage
The artist seeks contact with his intuitive sense of the gods, but in order to create his work, he cannot stay in this seductive and incorporeal realm. He must return to the material world in order to do his work. It’s the artist’s responsibility to balance mystical communication and the labor of creation.
About the Author
Patti Smith, born on December 30, 1946, is an iconic American singer-songwriter, poet, and visual artist whose multifaceted talents have left an indelible mark on the realms of music and literature. Emerging from the vibrant New York City punk rock scene in the 1970s, Smith's debut album, "Horses," is considered a groundbreaking work that challenged musical conventions and established her as a pioneering force. Beyond her musical achievements, Smith is a gifted poet, with works like Just Kids and M Train showcasing her evocative prose and keen observations on art, life, and her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Smith's influence extends beyond the boundaries of her artistic endeavors; she embodies a spirit of rebellion, creativity, and authenticity that continues to inspire generations. Her commitment to breaking societal norms and pushing creative boundaries makes Patti Smith worth knowing, as she remains a cultural icon who transcends genres and serves as a symbol of artistic freedom and resilience.
Further Listening
“'Just Kids': Punk Icon Patti Smith Looks Back”, Fresh Air, NPR
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