A “Frank” Email Exchange
In 2005, Frank did a workshop series at a space in San Francisco. Here is an email exchange after the fifth workshop of the series:
From Robert:
Hi Guys-
First off, I enjoyed the workshop on Friday. The energy it sent into me and the community has been VERY palpable. We’ve been on a big ride there. Personally, I felt dancing with Adam broached a lot of subjects with me that I’m slowly sorting through.
Onto less fun things. I’ve been talking with our lawyer pretty extensively over the last few days. He is very concerned on a lot of levels about what happened on Friday night. His concerns, after talking about them, are valid in our book and we’d like to make some changes immediately. He says, and I agree, that not doing so puts our space in jeopardy.
(1) We cannot video tape the workshops anymore
(2) We cannot have the past five workshops being broadcast on Berkeley Public Access television
(3) We would like any mention of our space or any of our names taken off your website
(4) In future emails/promotions, please use only our first names and not our last names
(5) And, we would like the return of the 5 video tapes of the first five workshops so we can destroy them.
Please call me at xxx.xxx.xxxx to discuss or email is fine as well. I am sorry it is going this way but in this era, it seems prudent.
Regards,
Robert
Monday, April 18, 2005
Frank's reply (in bold):
Frank: Robert, I’ll respond throughout your letter to you.
Hi Guys-
First off, I enjoyed the workshop on Friday. The energy it sent into me and the community has been VERY palpable. We’ve been on a big ride there
Frank: Yes, it is very powerful how it is developing on all levels. But it is an on-going journey, more than a “ride.” The word “ride” suggests a thrill ride which trivializes the journey of the workshop. I know you see the workshop deeper than a thrill ride. We are journeying outside the walls of fear, isolation, etc. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I agreed to let those same walls limit, contain, undermine, that magic journey within the workshop. That would totally kill what is growing within the workshop. And I have not done that in 40 years of doing this in THE REAL WORLD. I don’t plan to start now.
Personally, I felt dancing with Adam broached a lot of subjects with me that I’m slowly sorting through.
F: Yes, everyone got a lot out of it. And that liberation spreads out into the outside world through broadcasting it, through webcasting it, through writing about it, etc. It would be extremely sad to deny them this out of fear generated by a lawyer. According to him, what happened Friday night? What happened that didn’t happen in the other 4 sessions, including the first one he was at? What are his “concerns?” What would jeopardize your space? How? You kindly offered me your space to do my performance/workshop after I described what I had done in my series at U.C.B….including videoing every session to play on luver, b-tv, etc. This was during your first appearance on my SHAMAN’S DEN show. So you knew before you offered that we would be videoing the sessions. You knew that videoing was part of my art/work. We have videoed all 5 sessions with your full knowledge. So the below ultimatums are surreal!
Onto less fun things. I’ve been talking with our lawyer pretty extensively over the last few days. He is very concerned on a lot of levels about what happened on Friday night. His concerns, after talking about them, are valid in our book and we’d like to make some changes immediately. He says, and I agree, that not doing so puts our space in jeopardy.
We cannot video tape the workshops anymore.
F: This would end my doing the workshop at your space. This is your right of power. But it would be a shame. And I don’t think that is your desire. It would be impossible to do the workshop without the freedom.
We cannot have the past five workshops being broadcast on Berkeley Public Access television.
F: As you know, they have been playing on luver and b-tv…as have the two SHAMAN’S DEN shows you guys were on. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle. The workshop is/was a public event of my work.
We would like any mention of our space or any of our names taken off your website.
F: Why on earth would you want that? Rather insulting. But I don’t hold that against you. Fear is irrational. But we have a history together. I don’t erase history.
In future emails/promotions, please use only our first names and not our last names.
F: Again, why? No. And hey, how many good looking ROBERTS are there at your space?
And, we would like the return of the 5 video tapes of the first five workshops so we can destroy them.
F: Those tapes are of my art/workshop and are the property of Inter-Relations. Your space has no right to them. RETURNING IS AN EXTREMELY STRANGE WORD to be using. But then so is “destroy” art and history.
If I were you, I’d fire that lawyer…or at least get a second opinion!
I am sorry it is going this way but in this era, it seems prudent.
Regards,
Robert