The Acker Award, named for writer Kathy Acker, acknowledges art and service to the New York Art and Music Avant Garde. In Sue's words:
"I am honored to receive an Acker Award 2020 for my interdisciplinary music/art/theater work in the MONAD band.
"Monad, an activist art collective, was founded by Phoebe Legere. We played music that blurred the lines between contemporary classical music, electronic dance music, art and rock n roll!
"We called it Total Art Synthesis: Performance art, painting, progressive politics, feminism and LGBTQ pride amplified our multi-format happenings. Monad was multi-racial. Our up-front commitment to diversity and inclusion made us a target but we didn’t care. I strummed my guitar for the cause of truth and justice and I can proudly say we have never backed down!
"Our song 'Marilyn' reached the top of the college charts. It was the celebration of female Goddesshood. 'Marilyn' was a song about kissing a woman 20 years beore it was 'OK to be gay.' We argued and demonstrated for Social Justice long before it was 'cool.'
"We took arrows in our backs, but the real Downtown Visionaries like Clayton Patterson, Arleen Schloss, Bobby Bradley, Ann Kathrin (AK), Quentin Crisp, Ethyl Eichelberger, Ivan Steiger Galietti, Cornelius Conboy, Jack Smith, Crystal Field, Ela Troyano, Helen Lang, Fenton Bailey, Winnie Berrios, Belle McIntyre, Carmelita Tropicana Cissy Clagett, Adam Sands, Kenneth Parks, Barnaby Ruhe, Lady Bunny, Michael Gross, Penny Arcade, Ann Magnuson, and Derek Ridgers supported us.
"We were on the bill the first night the Pyramid opened and we were the headliners for the first Pyramid New Year’s Eve. (What a night!)
"Monad was a magic carpet for us. Zillion thanks to Phoebe Legere for inviting me on the journey; I’ve met Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Allen Ginsberg, Larry Rivers, Peter Beard, and Patti Smith, as well as opening for David Bowie. It has been a remarkable, cutting-edge ride.
"When I met David Bowie backstage he said: ‘You and Phoebe are the most amazing women I’ve ever met. I believe in women supporting women!’
(Photo by Derek Ridgers)
"Today, MONAD works as an arts education advocate for children. Our 501(c)3 nonprofit, Foundation for New American Art , carries on the mission of nurturing the visionary artists of tomorrow. Please consider making a small 100% tax deductible donation here: http://foundationfornewamericanart.org/donate
"Your generous support of our programs will help give form to the unsung nobility in underserved children in low-income communities. Thank you," says Sue Rakowski.
Color Photo: Jo-Anne Atkinson
