Robert HamiltonW 77th St between Columbus Ave and Amsterdam AveHeart Three · Location 274 · Drawn June 2003Hover over or select the image to reveal a hidden view.PhotographsDownload photograph 1Download photograph 2Download photograph 3Download photograph 4Download photograph 5Download photograph 6Download photograph 7Download photograph 8Download photograph 9Download photograph 10Download photograph 11Video podcast0:00William J. O'Shea Junior High School, number 44, is on 77th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus.0:09It's on the south side of the street and occupies the majority of the block.0:13The drawing was done to the left of one of the main entrances,0:17an entrance with five identical handled doors beneath five identical pairings of six windows.0:24The drawing is a white surface and shows the marks of bodies entering in and out of the building.0:30Their surface faces its companion surface across the stretch of the five doors.0:36That surface has a single doorbell planted in the center of it.0:41This is Robert Hamilton. He was drawn in June of 2003.0:47His drawing is counting ten people.0:51Drawing outside of the William J. O'Shea Junior High School 44,0:56I am thinking about explaining this project to the students that occupy this school.1:00If they ever find out about it, most likely it will be in reading.1:05Writing about the process of doing this project has always struck me as a little uncomfortable.1:11To do so is to participate in the funny objectivity of the act of making the art being the art itself.1:16I'm not sure if cave painters depicted images of themselves painting in their caves.1:22If so, then surely they can lay claim to starting the trend.1:26In the millions of carved hieroglyphics, a fair number of the stoneworkers spent the1:32time to chisel an iconographic likeness of themselves working away.1:37Mosaics of mosaic makers, prints of printmakers, plays about writers, and photographs of people1:43taking photographs.1:44This focus on the focus has reached an incredible fevered pitch with the popularity of hip-hop music.1:51I've heard entire albums dedicated to the central theme of, well, making the album.1:57Sometimes these tales will be devoid of actual tales at all, and remain firmly transfixed on the act of talking about the act of talking.2:06One thing seems to be for certain. You can always rap about rapping, and someone will buy it.2:13Us included.2:14We have a really big soft spot for these self-indulgent monologues2:18about trying to work hard and be the best at what you're doing.2:22Besides being a man who knew his way through the city streets,2:26Robert Hamilton had a passion for helping people, children especially.2:30He was an active Boy Scout leader as well as a baseball coach.2:34He is survived by his wife Elizabeth and two children, Robert and Christine.← Location 273Heart Three · Location 274Location 275 →
