Hasta La Ideas

I was back in NYC during the winter holidays and on the way to the MoMA with my mother, I noticed the man shown above. The first thing that struck me was his attire- a deep brown suit with a bold green sweater along with a well-chosen tie and button-down collared shirt. They all complimented his white hair and beard rather well. What’s more, he had a fantastic British accent and had attracted a sizable crowd for selling cheap carrot peelers.

Today I read about him in The New York Times and found out about his passing on Sunday. It’s amazing how Ades handled the power of context and the value of experience. His iconoclastic sartorial sense and his refined, confident speech drew crowds to watch him peel carrots. I have no doubt that people bought the peelers as a memento of his performance, and not a tool for the kitchen.