Don Edler

Don Edler is a artist and occasional writer who, when not searching the world for new art to look at, he is in his studio making sculptures or reading books. Don lives and works in New York City.
Posted inArt

Family Portrait on the Moon

by Don Edler

Have you seen the photograph of Astronaut Charles Duke and his family that was left on the Moon in 1972? It is a small 3×5 color photo of Duke, his wife Dorothy and their two sons Charles and Thomas posing for a studio portrait. If you visit the American Museum of Natural History in New York you can find a document of this photo near the end of the ramp that exits the Hayden Planetarium.

Posted inArt

I Dreamt of Going to Space Camp

by Don Edler

Tom Sachs’ Space Mission: Mars is a lot like Space Camp for adults. For me, Space Camp represents a forever unattainable dream of my childhood. I grew-up on the Space Coast in Florida, watching every shuttle launch, dreaming of going to Space Camp, but never being able to afford it. I have a feeling that a young Sachs also dreamed of going to Space Camp.

Posted inArt

The Problem with Hennessy Youngman

by Don Edler

Jayson Musson is a very popular man in the art world. His YouTube account has over 900,000 views, and his fans are rabid. The funny thing is, though, most of his fans probably have no idea who he is. Here’s the answer: Jayson Musson is the artist behind Hennessy Youngman.

Posted inArt

Frieze Fatigue

by Don Edler

I had heard that Frieze New York was huge, but I have been to Armory and Basel Miami, so I assumed that it was just another art fair, sure there would be a lot of stuff to look at, but nothing this hardened New Yorker couldn’t handle.

Posted inArt

The Artist Who Started the What People Think I Do/What I Really Do Meme

by Don Edler

Some time early last week, I began to notice the “What People Think I Do/What I Really Do” graphics on my Facebook news feed. The first time I clicked on one, I had a quick laugh — I thought it was witty. A few days later it seemed like my news feed had been converted into a focused, peer-curated online gallery devoted to the latest, most clever “What People Think I Do/What I Really Do” graphics.

Then my Mom started posting them too. The speed at which this new internet sensation spread grabbed my attention. A quick Google search led me to www.knowyourmeme.com. The website credited artist Garnet Hertz with starting the meme, so I emailed Hertz to see if I could get the scoop on his original graphic. Hertz was kind enough to give an interview about the history of the graphic he first posted on February 9th and the subsequent birth of a meme.