As an artist, I turn to my collection for inspiration, and I am drawn to materials that illuminate the intersections of culture, identity, and creativity.
I found Trash Tankas for Lady Stardust in a bookstore operating out of a garage in Bed-Stuy. I was immediately drawn to it—I love the cover, the poems that read a little like gossip, conjuring imagery of overflowing ashtrays, drugs, glitter, and smeared makeup. The guys running the bookstore smoke at the open door a lot, bringing some of the poems’ atmosphere to life for me at that moment. Finding the book in that setting felt serendipitous, as if the present connected directly to the past.
I actively sought out Thai Occult 1 & 2 to better understand an underground aspect of Thai culture and spiritual practice—topics that fascinate me but make most of my traditional Thai-Buddhist family deeply apprehensive. These volumes are among the few resources available on a subject that would otherwise be inaccessible due to language barriers and geographic distance.
The Photograph of Concha was a discovery from my time as a staff photographer at James Cummins Bookseller. I was captivated by her image and the elegance of her handwritten letter to a friend.
Byron Coley and Thurston Moore Trash Tankas for Lady Stardust: A Bowie Discography in Verse Massachusetts: Glass eye books, 2002.
Copy 77/100. Signed by Byron Coley and Thurston Moore.
A zine of poems inspired by each David Bowie album, from his self-titled debut to Heathen. The back cover reads: “issued on the occasion of the mcsweeny’s reading series, thursday december 5 2002.” An event that took place in the now shuddered art space, Galapagos, in Brooklyn, NY.
Peter Jenx Thai Occult 1 & Thai Occult 2: Regions of Power Montana: Araxes, 2024.
An unfinished set!
These books are regarded as the first of their kind, offering an in-depth exploration of the structure and magical system of Thai Magic and Buddhist folk sorcery. Examining the convergence of ancient beliefs with contemporary Buddhist spiritual practices, they document the often oral nature of practicing Thai magic and spirit work. The books give invaluable insight into modern-day Ajarns, their rituals, spell objects, and the cultural roots of these practices through interviews and photographs.
Original photograph portrait of Concha, an armless Woman. Photograph mounted on embossed card. Photograph, 5 1/2 x 4 in 1911. The verso of the embossed card is inscribed by Concha in copperplate hand:
Cata: La cinceridad de mi cariño, se la demuestra el presente recuerdo de la ultima de tus amigas. Concha. Apetatitlán, 15 April de 1911.
Cata: The sincerity of my affection is demonstrated by the present memory of the last of your friends. Concha. Apetatitlán, 15 April 1911.
