REMEMBERING JESSE LOTT
In memory of Houston visual artist and beloved community figure Jesse Lott (1943-2023), Aurora is sharing this rarely seen video footage of Lott shot by his friend, the video artist and documentarian Andy Mann, in the late-1970s and 80s. The 20-minute video below includes two excerpts from what is likely the only footage of the artist from this period. This material is from the Andy Mann Video Archive–a collection of Mann’s tapes held by Aurora Picture Show since 2001 and currently being transitioned to the University of Houston Libraries’ Special Collections. Less than a year prior to his death at age 80, Jesse Lott was a special guest at an Aurora member event, at which he talked about Andy Mann and. shared some context for this footage. (Any duplication or unauthorized use is prohibited. Inquiries should be directed to Peter Lucas.)
Relics of the Future, Robinson Gallery, 1977
(Andy Mann, excerpt, 9:44)
In the summer of 1977, Jesse Lott had his first solo show, Relics of the Future, at Ann Harithas’ Robinson Galleries, located in Houston across the street from the CAMH. The show included 40 works, including sculptures and paintings as well as a video by Andy Mann that documented the show’s installation. These excerpts from Mann’s footage show Lott creating a large-scale sculpture in the gallery space, as well as a few glimpses of the exhibition and opening.
Cone Structure, Jesse Lott’s studio, ca. 1986
(Andy Mann, excerpt, 8:49)
One afternoon in the mid-1980s, as Jesse Lott and Andy Mann were killing time in Lott’s Fifth Ward studio, Mann asked Lott about his techniques. What resulted was an instructional video of sorts, in which Lott illustrates his technique for making sculptural human figures through the construction of series of cones and cylinders. This excerpt is the beginning of a longer video that was aired on Houston Public Access television.