Marking Harry Crosby Death Day

The Hotel des Artistes is gone, no longer a presence at 1 West 67th St in New York City. You cannot go there looking for a trace of Harry Crosby and Josephine Rotch Bigelow, though perhaps their impetuous spirits still lurk somewhere in the vicinity. But that's doubtful. They are as gone as gone can be.

Eighty-five years ago today they set out for parts unknown. For Harry, there was the sun. For Josephine? There was Harry. For them both, today, in the 21st century, there is a general unimportant absence. There is the myth.

Myth and literary obscurity.

The longer ago the 1920s become, the more compelling that era grows. The Great War. Paris. The Jazz Age. Shakespeare and Company. The Black Sun Press. Ocean liners.

Perhaps it is the banality and cultural emptiness of the present that makes Harry Crosby such a fascinating and extraordinary artist. As Caresse Crosby described him, Harry was "electric with rebellion." Despite his madness, his violence, his ridiculous demise, he LIVED.  Briefly, yes, but with intensity, with enthusiasm, with certainty.

Harry Crosby

Crosby in December

December 10, 1929. Eighty four years ago yesterday. What a bizarre loss & waste of vibrant life. Harry Crosby (1898-1929).

2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of The Great War. A catastrophic war across generations. The media will wallow in relentless memorializing and somber grandstanding. But who among the talking heads will mention Crosby?

Image from the Collection of Southern Illinois University

1924 entry from Shadows of the Sun:*

December 11.  Studied Sufism. ...  " - The human soul belongs to the spiritual world and is ever seeking to be re-united to its source (the Sun). Such union is hindered by the bodily senses but though not permanently attainable until death, it can be enjoyed at times at the state called ecstasy when the veil of sensual perception is rent asunder and the soul is merged in God (in the Sun)"

* Black Sparrow, 1977, pg.63

Scholars point to Crosby's experience as a volunteer ambulance driver in World War I as singularly influential on the course of his life. That's hard to argue with.

Harry Crosby Death Day 2010

Happy 81st death anniversary, Harry, hope that worked out for you. And the Fire Princess too. Fools.

Coilhouse.net has a very interesting and encouraging interview with Erik Rodgers, founder of String and a Can Productions.

There's also a cool illustration by Alastair from Red Skeletons but you can skip the boilerplate bio of Crosby, we've read it before and elsewhere and with much more nuance and perception.

Erik Rodgers, however, offers some of the most intelligent commentary on both Harry and Caresse Crosby out there, including:

"I actually came upon Caresse first, while developing a project on Salvador Dalí.  [My business partner] was intrigued by the idea of such an accomplished and independent female from that era, and started researching her life.   Of course as soon as she began reading about Caresse, she discovered Harry as well.  Their story captured her imagination, and she began relating to me some of the details as she read them. We both felt there was something vital and overlooked in their story, something that had been obscured by all the scandal and negative criticism."

Check out Black Sun: The Life and Death of Harry Crosby, A Play  presented by the Black Sun Players.