Adam Purple's Garden of Eden

Tomorrow, January 8, marks the 25th anniversary of the destruction of The Garden of Eden, an earthwork created by Adam Purple that spanned five city lots on Manhattan's Lower East Side. A friend, the talented photographer and filmmaker Harvey Wang, who also directed "The Last New Yorker", documented the expansion of the gardens from 1978 to 1985. Most of these photographs are unpublished, so they'll be seen for the first time in an upcoming exhibit, and there will also be rare prints from a few of Adam Purple's own negatives on show.


Who is Adam Purple, you may ask? Here's a comprehensive article published in the New York Times in 1998 describing the now 80-year old hippie who has led a life full of purpose, who "went green" long before it was fashionable or easy, and whose living conditions have undoubtedly been uncomfortable and downright hazardous. Here's a terrific accounting at the wonderful Mr. Beller's Neighborhood website.

Here's a podcast interview with Adam Purple that you can listen to, and a video at Youtube.


When I was at school in the East Village in the 1980s, I used to see him on his bike, in full purple regalia, and occasionally spied him in Central Park...little did I know at the time that he was there to collect horse manure for his amazing garden creation. So taken was I with his costume that I took a picture of him, so it exists as a slide somewhere in my realm. Thankfully, Harvey has taken some really good photographs, and I look forward to seeing them.


Harvey is raising funds for an exhibit of these prints to be shown at FusionArts Museum at 57 Stanton Street, New York City, scheduled for February 2-20, 2011. I've made a donation to this project at Kickstarter; if you are interested and want to help out, please click here. UPDATE: They reached their goal! There's also a great VIDEO that you can watch there made by Amy Brost and Harvey Wang that will give you some excellent background on this fascinating man. I hope to be able to meet him next month!

All photos ©Harvey Wang

Lost New York

Here's an article in the New York Times lamenting the loss of Mom & Pop businesses that Harvey Wang used in The Last New Yorker. The comments are worth reading, also.

TLNY Opens at the Quad!!

The Quad Cinema on West 13th Street in New York City


Director Harvey Wang and Director of Photography Derek McKane

Dominic Chianese, Dick Latessa and Harvey Wang during the Q & A. There was no lighting at the front of the theatre, hence the poor photo.

It was a very fine turnout on Friday evening for the 8:15 showing, and was so exciting to be there seeing our film open at last! Afterward, Harvey chatted with Dick Latessa and Dominick Chianese at the Q & A during which many wonderful questions were asked and answered. I so wished that Dad could have been there, but thankfully, he saw the film last year on DVD at home.

Anyone interested, please hie to the Quad this week before it concludes its run!

This is The Week of The Last New Yorker

Photos of Dominic Chianese, Kathleen Chalfant and Dick Latessa by Harvey Wang

As my feature film is opening this week, I continue to run the risk of spamming my readers and the blogosphere with tidbits culled from the web. The marketing team is doing a lovely job of getting the word out about our little film, which we made in 2005 on the streets of Manhattan.

It's all very new and exciting...it's my first film and I'm enjoying what I find every day in my inbox, thanks to Google Alerts. I don't know what future the film will have after its run in NYC, other than life as a DVD, but it will be an adventure watching this unfold.

The Last New Yorker, written by Adam Forgash; Directed by Harvey Wang, produced by Rich Macary, Danny Vinik, Adam Forgash, Todd Olson, and Jonathan Lia. Cinematography by Derek McKane, Production design by Tamar Gadish, Edited by Jeff Flohr, Music by Dario Eskenazi, Makeup by B. Cohen.

Tomorrow I will post cast pictures in costume from the filming...stay tuned!

Here are today's links:

The film's website

An interview with Dominic Chianese on WPIX-TV

Huffington Post article on Harvey Wang, Director

You can see lovely pix that I took during the shoot at my website

The film's trailer at digg.com

The Quad Cinema - click on the "Coming Soon" link

The film's page at the IMDB

THE LAST NEW YORKER Screening!

Pictures from the screening on February 9 at the French Institute, and the party afterward at The Friar's Club!

Check out Press Pics of Arrivals here.

The Quad Cinema in New York City, where the film will open on February 19, 2010.

Director Harvey Wang introduces the film at The French Institute Screening

Producers Rich Macary and Danny Vinik at the French Institute, under harsh lighting

Harvey kvells during Dominic's performance at the Friars Club

Director of Photography Derek McKane and Writer/Producer Adam Forgash
Jan with Dominic Chianese

Star Dick Latessa

Film's stars Dick Latessa, Dominic Chianese and Kathleen Chalfant onstage at the Friars Club

Jan with Adam Forgash

Three lovelies - in center is B. Coen, makeup, and right is Megan Foerster, set dressing

Meeting the Press

Dominic chats with the press

THE LAST NEW YORKER opens February 19, 2010!

At last! THE LAST NEW YORKER opens in February 19 at the Quad Cinema in New York City. We filmed it in 2005 and it has traveled through a number of festivals, winning awards. Starring Dominic Chianese, Kathleen Chalfant, Dick Latessa and Josh Hamilton, written by Adam Forgash and directed by Harvey Wang. Here's the link at the IMDB, and here's the website. Can't wait!