Betty Tompkins

Betty Tompkins

artist

interview by JULIANA BALESTIN ON SITUATIONS
portrait by ALEXIS DAHAN

 

JULIANA BALESTIN — I didn’t realize the New York curator — and Purple contributor — Bob Nickas was such an influence on your career, especially for making your works known in Europe?
BETTY TOMPKINS — I actually just ran into Bob the other day. I owe him so much. He had introduced me to my gallery, Rodolphe Janssen, in Brussels. He also got me into the 2003 Lyon Biennale, where he put me together with Steven Parrino. It was the first time my work had been shown in Europe on that scale. So many things have come from that show, and Bob really had to fight for me.

JULIANA BALESTIN — Bob Nickas was teaching a course at New York University recently about what happens when artists disappear, or remove themselves, from…