ACT II

PUTTING IT TOGETHER
1984. The museum where Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jette" is on exhibition. George demonstrates his Chromolume # 7. The scene then changes to a cocktail reception in progress in the gallery where the painting is displayed.

HARRIET
I mean, I don't understand completely-

BILLY
I'm not surprised.

HARRIET
But he combines all these different trends.

BILLY
I'm not surprised.

HARRIET
You can't divide art today
Into categories neatly

BILLY
Oh.

HARRIET
What matters is the means, not the ends.

BILLY
I'm not surprised.

BOTH
That is the state of the art, my dear,
That is the state of the art.

GREENBERG
It's not enough knowing good from rotten

REDMOND
You're telling me-

GREENBERG
When something new pops up every day.

REDMOND
You're telling me-

GREENBERG
It's only new, though, for now-

REDMOND
Nouveau.

GREENBERG
But yesterday's forgotten.

REDMOND
And tomorrow is already as pass?

GREENBERG
There's no surprise.

BOTH
That is the state of the art, my friend,
That is the state of the art.

BETTY
He's an original.

ALEX
Was.

NAOMI
I like the images.

ALEX
Some.

BETTY
Come on.
You had your moment,
Now it's George's turn-
ALEX BETTY
It's George's turn? (to Naomi)
I wasn't talking turns, Don't you think he's original? NAOMI
I'm talking art. (to Alex) Well, yes...
(to Naomi) You're talking crap.
But is it really new?
(to Betty) (to Naomi) Well, no...
His own collaborator-! It's more than novelty.
(to Alex) Well, yes...
It's all promotion, but then- It's just impersonal, but-
(to Naomi) (to Naomi)
That is the state of the art, That is the state of the art,
Isn't it? Isn't it?
Well...

BILLY
(to Harriet)
Art isn't easy-

HARRIET
Even when you've amassed it-

BETTY
Fighting for prizes-

GREENBERG
No one can be an oracle.

REDMOND
Art isn't easy.

ALEX
Suddenly-
(snaps fingers)
You're past it.

NAOMI
All compromises-

HARRIET
(to Billy)
And then when it's allegorical-

REDMOND, GREENBERG, then ALL
Art isn't easy-

ALL
Any way you look at it.
(George makes a grand entrance with Marie, who is in a wheelchair. and Elaine.)

GEORGE
(to himself)
All right, George.
As long as it's your night, George...
You know what's in the room, George.
Another Chromolume, George.
It's time to get to work...

GREENBERG
(approaching George)
George, I want you to meet one of our board members.
(steering him over to Billy and Harriet)
This is Harriet Pawling.

HARRIET
What a pleasure. And this is my friend, Billy Webster.

BILLY
How do you do.

GREENBERG
Well, I'll just leave you three to chat.
(He leaves)

GEORGE
Say "cheese;' George,
And put them et their ease George.
You're up on the trapeze, George.
Machines don't grow on trees, George.
Start putting it together...

HARRIET
This is the third piece of yours I've seen. They are getting so large!

GEORGE
(to audience)
Art isn't easy-
(raises a cutout of himself in front of Billy end Harriet)
Even when You're hot.

BILLY
(to cutout)
Are these inventions of yours one of a kind?

GEORGE
Advancing art is easy-
(to Billy, facing audience)
Yes.
(to audience)
Financing it is not.
A vision's just a vision
If it's only in your heed.
If no one gets to see it,
It's as good as dead.
If has to come to light!
I put the names of my contributors on the side of each machine.

HARRIET
How clever.

GEORGE
Bit by bit,
Putting it together...
Piece by Piece-
Only way to make a work of art.
Every moment makes a contribution,
Every little detail plays a part.
Having just a vision's no solution,
Everything depends on execution:
Putting it together-
That's what counts!

HARRIET
(to the cutout)
The Board of the Foundation is meeting next week...

GEORGE
Ounce by ounce,
Putting it together...

HARRIET
You'll come to lunch.

GEORGE
Small amounts,
Adding up to make a work of art.
First of all you need a good foundation,
Otherwise it's risky from the start.
Takes a little cocktail conversation,
But without the proper preparation,
Having just a vision's no solution,
Everything depends on execution.
The art of making art
Is putting it together
Bit by bit...

REDMOND
We haven't met. Charles Redmond, County Museum of Texas. Wanted you to know we're in the process of giving out some sizable commissions-I hope you don't mind my bringing up business during a social occasion...

GEORGE
(raising another cutout)
Link by link,
Making the connections...
Drink by drink
Fixing and perfecting the design.
Adding just a dab of politician
(Always knowing where to draw the line).
Lining up the funds but in addition
Lining up a prominent commission,
Otherwise your perfect composition
Isn't going to get much exhibition.
Art isn't easy.
Every minor detail
Is a major decision,
Have to keep things in scale,
Have to hold to your vision-
Every time I start to feel defensive,
I remember lasers are expensive.
What's a little cocktail conversation
If it gets the funds for your foundation,
Leading to a prominent commission,
And an exhibition in addition?

ALL
Art isn't easy-

ALEX, BETTY
Trying to make connections-

ALL
Who understands it-?

HARRIET, BILLY
Difficult to evaluate-

ALL
Art isn't easy-

GREENBERG, REDMOND
Trying to form collections-

ALL
Always in transit-

NAOMI
And then when you have to collaborate-!

ALL
Art isn't easy,
Any way you look at it...

RANDOLPH
George, hello. Lee Randolph. I handle the public relations for the museum. There's a lot of opportunity for some nice press here...

GEORGE
(gestures for another cutout, which rises)
Dot by dot,
Building up the image.
Shot by shot,
Keeping at a distance doesn't pay.
Still, if you remember your objective,
Not give all your privacy away,
A little bit of hype can be effective,
Long as you can keep it in perspective.
After all, without some recognition
No one's going to give you a commission.
Art isn't easy.
(raising a fourth cutout)
Overnight you're a trend,
You're the right combination-
Then the trend's at an end,
You're suddenly last year's sensation.
If you feel a sense of coalition,
Then you never really stand alone.
If you want your work to reach fruition,
What you need's a link with your tradition,
And of course a prominent commission,
Plus a little formal recognition,
So that you can go on exhibit-
(getting flustered)
So that your work can go on exhibition-
(Blair Daniels comes up to him.)

BLAIR
There's the man of the hour.

GEORGE
Blair! Hello. I read your piece on Neo-Expressionism-

BLAIR
Good for you.

GEORGE
Well, what did you think?

BLAIR
George. Chromolume number 7?

GEORGE
Be nice, George...
(He gestures for a cutout; it doesn't rise.)

BLAIR
I was hoping it would be a series of three - four at the most.

GEORGE
You have to pay a price, George...
(Gestures again; nothing) BLAIR
They like to give I have touted your work from
Advice, George- the beginning, you know that.
(gestures offstage; nothing) You were really on to something
Don't think about it with these light machine-once.
Twice, George... Now they're just becoming more
(gestures again; nothing) and more about less and less.
I disagree.
(George rushes offstage and brings on cutout #5, which he sets up in front of her.)

BLAIR
(to cutout)
Now don't get me wrong. You're a talented guy. But I think you are capable of far more. Not that you couldn't succeed by doing Chromolume after Chromolume - but there are new discoveries to be made, George.

GEORGE
Be new, George.
They tell you till they're blue, George:
You're new or else you're through, George,
And even if it's true, George-
You do what you can do...
Bit by bit,
Putting it together.
Piece by piece.
Working out the vision night and day.
All it takes is time and perseverance,
With a little luck along the way,
Putting in a personal appearance,
Gathering supporters and adherents...

HARRIET
(to Billy)
...But he combines all these different trends...

GEORGE
Mapping out the right configuration,
Starting with a suitable foundation...

BETTY
He's an original...

ALEX
Was...
(During the following, all the cutouts falter sporadically causing Geoge to move more and more rapidly among them.)

GEORGE
Lining up a prominent commission-
And an exhibition in addition-
Here a little dab of politician-

There a little touch of publication-
Till you have a balanced composition-
Everything depends on preparation-
Even if you do have the suspicion
That it's taking all your concentration-

BETTY
I like those images.

ALEX
Some
They're just his personal response.
To what?
The painting!
Bullshit. Anyway, the painting's
overrated...
Overrated? It's a masterpiece!
A masterpiece? Historically
important maybe-
Oh, now you're judging Seurat,
are you?
All it is is pleasant, just like
George's work:
It's just your jealousy of
George's work:
No nuance, no response, no relevance-
There's nuance, and there's response,
there's relevance-
There's not much point in arguing.
Besides, it's all promotion, but then-
There's not much point in arguing.
You say it's all promotion, but then-

GEENBERG
It's only new, though. for now,
And yesterday's forgotten.
Today it's all a matter of promotion,
But then-

REDMOND
Nouveau.
And yesterday's forgotten.
Today it's all a matter of promotion,
But then-

HARRIET
You can't divide art today.
Go with it.
What will they think of next?

BILLY
I'm not surprised.
What will they think of next?

OTHERS
Most art today
Is a matter of promotion, but then-

GEORGE ALL
(except George)
The art of making art That is the state of the art,
Is putting it together- And art isn't easy...
Bit by bit-
Link by link-
Drink by drink-
Mink by mink-
And that And that
Is the state Is the state
Of the Of the
Art! Art!