backstory: Remembering Irving
This week, a year ago, we lost a legend – my friend Irving Sandler.
The greatest gift Irving gave to me, beyond the great gifts of friendship and mentorship, was that he encouraged me to dip my toe into writing in the style of memoir. When you train as an art historian, you don’t typically use words like I or me or my. At least throughout my studies, it was highly discouraged. It always had to be: he did this, she did that, or they did the other thing. If not for Irving’s enthusiasm and encouragement, I probably wouldn’t be writing what I’m writing to you in the way I am writing to you now. Thank you, dear Irving, for this and so much else.
Tracy Fitzpatrick
Director, Neuberger Museum of Art