That Million Dollar Bash

That Million Dollar Bash

Share this post

That Million Dollar Bash
That Million Dollar Bash
Patti Smith: Got to Lose Control and Then You Take Control

Patti Smith: Got to Lose Control and Then You Take Control

Patti Smith gives me a portrait. (Happy Birthday, Patti)

Jacob Blickenstaff
Dec 31, 2024
∙ Paid
5

Share this post

That Million Dollar Bash
That Million Dollar Bash
Patti Smith: Got to Lose Control and Then You Take Control
4
1
Share

I wasn’t expecting to post again before the New Year, but I just remembered that it was Patti Smith’s birthday.

In the summer of 2014, I was assigned by the New York Times to photograph her and Klaus Biesenbach, the director of MoMA PS1 at the time, for an article previewing a show they curated at Fort Tilden called Rockaway!

Most New York Times assignments just get dropped in your lap with very little time to get your mind around what you need to do, but in this case I had a few days. Having recently read Just Kids, I was aware of her deep creative relationship with Robert Maplethorpe and knew she would be a very discerning subject when it came to working with a photographer. I was much more intimidated than excited.

“ I don’t want you to take pictures, I want to give you a picture.”

A publicist from MoMA drove me out to the community center in the park grounds at Fort Tilden. Patti’s Land Camera polaroids were in the process of being sequencing and hung in the gallery space. She arrive…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to That Million Dollar Bash to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Jacob Blickenstaff
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share