Patti Astor
“The FUN Gallery began when I met Fab 5 Freddy in 1981. I was starring in my punk rock spectacular Underground U.S.A., in its sixth month as the midnight flick at St. Mark’s Cinema. Fred had gotten on the tip of the downtown scene with Blondie and “Rapture” and dragged his homies, Futura and Kiely Jenkins, to see the movie. That was when the Queen of the Downtown met the King of Uptown. Fab said I was “Down By Law,” and the art world would never be the same!”
-Patti Astor, underground film star & art gallery owner
Patti Astor (1950-2024) was the Queen of the Downtown Scene and co-founder of the legendary FUN Gallery in New York City. For five decades, Patti was my partner in creative crime and one of my best friends. We met in 1974 when I was in high school. Patti was the groovy older sister of my best friend, Jenny Titchener. When Patti came to Cincinnati, where we all grew up, she choreographed Jenny and my high school talent show routine (The Andrew Sisters’ "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"). When I moved from San Francisco to NYC, Patti lived there and took me under her wing as a protective big sister. Patti Astor starred in my NYU films, Escape to the Elkhorn and Bachelorette Pad. Luckily, Patti was a superstar in the NYC underground film scene. She helped cast my student films with all her cool friends.
After film school, I moved to Los Angeles first, and Patti followed a few years later. Over the next four decades, Patti and I worked on many creative projects together. She co-wrote and acted in my short film Get Tux’d (Ice-T’s first film role) and my directorial debut, Assault of the Killer Bimbos.
When you meet someone who shares your same sensibilities and aesthetics, it's magic! Patti collected vintage everything. Her kitsch sense of style, was a photographer's dream. Her Hollywood apartments and Hermosa Beach trailer were treasure troves of collectibles, making for beautiful images. She was one of my favorite people to photograph because the camera loved her and she posed with such joy. This is a collection of some of my favorite Patti Astor shots from our fifty-year friendship!
