John Humen, Artist of the Night, Designing with the Light. * CHEETAH disco NYC *
In the late 1960's, New York City was John Humen's artistic playground.
In the late 1960's, New York City was John Humen's artistic playground.
John’s good fortune to have all the benefits of a teenage
muse, Cleo Odzer, and disco visionary, Olivier Coquelin, presented a creative
opportunity to exhibit artworks throughout many of Manhattan’s night life
“in-crowd” places.
His most ambitious achievement was the Cleo De Light Machine
built into the ceiling of the “new” Cheetah located at 52nd street and 8th
Avenue. Covering a massive area of
10,000 square feet that was alive with a gigantic center rotor and four outer
rotors illuminated by a multitude of flashing lights, which some believe was
the world’s largest indoor light machine of the time. The lights of the center rotor were
controlled through an imbedded program to tell the story of a groupie meeting a
lead musician for an encounter with destiny. Photographs are shown below.
The next light exhibit was to be the result of research done
with the help of Dr. Robert V. Pole of IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center
and J.H. Becker, Manager of Exploratory Device Development for Xerox in
Rochester, New York. Briefly described,
an enormous black vinyl “canvas” coated with a “special” liquid crystal formula
was laser activated into ever changing colors and shapes of predetermined
designs. Perhaps, the successful
prototype was the first controlled Liquid Color Display. Funding was not available for John to
continue with the LCD and he chose to obtain international patents on a
“Floating Chamber Machine” that could smoke a cigarette and blow out perfectly formed
smoke donuts. A positive displacement
device that could alter volume during operation, with only three moving
parts. Not a gas explosion engine, but,
a gas expansion engine utilizing the Sterling cycle.
John’s artistic collaboration with Cleo and Mr. Coquelin continued for years. John took an
accompanying photo of Cleo and Cooky at Oliver’s penthouse, since he was
gracious to share his home with his artistic collaborator. John’s favorite room at the penthouse was the
fur wrapped bedroom, which by no coincidence is similar to the rug wrapped
mattress room at the Cheetah on the second floor just above the kiddies soda
bar.
John, having multi-media 15 minutes of celebrity status, was
approached by Allen N. Rodd, Product Manager for the Sawyer’s Slide Projector
Division of GAF Corporation to develop an accessory for their slide projectors that
would impart motion to still 35 mm slides. Our young 20s artist, having experience with
developing artworks for Technamation Corporation that are animated through
polarized vectors and very optics oriented by his collaboration with Norman
Rothschild, Senior Editor of Popular Photography Magazine, having done a light
effects movie Esthetic Light Won;
was, as destiny would have it, already there.
GAF embraced the occasion with a
letter that gave the young techknow artist the freedom to glorify their exhibit
at the New York City 1969 Photo Expo with the “Light Blender Bender” that
enchanted those interested in adding motion to their own personal 35 mm slides
without alteration. GAF is quoted; “…I’m
sure we can resolve the financial aspects of this very easily.”
Although New York City was not blacked-out by John’s first
lightshow at Steve Paul’s The Scene, The Scene was blacked-out due to
technical difficulties, an experience of no light. Groupies television interviews staring Cleo
and Cooky was filmed at The Scene and photographed by artist John Humen, shown below.
As a matter of lifestyle and fashion statement, John drove
his world's fastest 1950 production sedan around town, a very sexy looking
English vehicle with curves everywhere, yes, a Jaguar.
When 18 year old Bernadette Peters first met John Humen, there seemed to be an existing bond of eternity, a kind of destiny. They spent time together during Bernadette's off-broadway years. John was last seen with Bernadette as she left her dressing room to sign autographs, before exiting a Broadway Theater, in 1971, to drive off in her chauffeured limousine, with John at her side. Years later Bernadette did a television show with a actor that looked, somewhat, like John Humen.
John had his on stage opportunity, at the invitation of world famous Bell Research Laboratories, to perform in a "play", Experiments in Art & Technology, EAT.
When 18 year old Bernadette Peters first met John Humen, there seemed to be an existing bond of eternity, a kind of destiny. They spent time together during Bernadette's off-broadway years. John was last seen with Bernadette as she left her dressing room to sign autographs, before exiting a Broadway Theater, in 1971, to drive off in her chauffeured limousine, with John at her side. Years later Bernadette did a television show with a actor that looked, somewhat, like John Humen.
John had his on stage opportunity, at the invitation of world famous Bell Research Laboratories, to perform in a "play", Experiments in Art & Technology, EAT.
Attached are articles, letters, photographs, artworks,
etcetera; which are the personal property of 2014 © copyright John Humen with notice
hereby established to protect reproduction of any kind.
Cheetah
53rd ART, is a four foot square lacquer air brush canvas of John Humen that was
part of his gallery show at the original Cheetah located in Manhattan on 53rd
Street. 1966 (c) copyright John Humen
Cleo and Cooky photographed by John Humen at Olivier Coquelin's
penthouse in Manhattan.
Cleo and Cooky at a TV interview with Alan Burke, photographed at Steve
Paul's The Scene by John Humen as stated within the foregoing text. 1970 (c) copyright John Humen
Cleo de Light 52nd street, is referenced in the forgoing text.1966 (c) copyright John Humen
World's Largest indoor Light Machine video 1970 (c) copyright John Humen (aka) John 2 Humen.
Cleo de Light 52nd street, is referenced in the forgoing text. 1966 (c) copyright John Humen
Design Cheetah 52nd street soda bar Glow Lights, is an ever changing pattern of colored lights.
NEON LIGHTS SPELL "PEACE" "LOVE" etc
BLEEMER 1969 (c) copyright John Humen
BELOW is a 2021 copy of my 1969 ABOVE
BELOW 2021
IT took OVER a half century for THEM to find THEIR way.
Technamation 1, is discussed within the forgoing text.
1966 (c) copyright John Humen
Red,
Blue, Green individual electronic channels controlled by Silicon Rectifiers,
fired by capacitor discharge, allows light blending of each color at various
intensities to provide all the colors of the rainbow. This device is an example of the lighting
electronics custom built by light artist John Humen for different lighting
effects. John Humen built most of the light controls at the Cheetah located at 52nd street and 8th avenue.
1966 (c) copyright John Humen
Disco art EYElusion, was part of an art exhibit that moved
to and from "night spots" within Manhattan.
GAF, is a letter to artist John Humen
acknowledging an agreement with GAF Corporation to exhibit John Humen's
artworks and his invention, "Light Blender Bender", at the New York
City Photo Expo 1969.
IBM, Dr. Robert V. Pole's letter to John Humen.
Disco artist 1, is John Humen.
1966 (c) copyright John Humen
Disco artist 2, is John Humen
1966 (c) copyright John Humen
Disco art Salvation Sheriden Square, is a four foot square
lacquer air brush canvas that was part of an art exhibition that moved to and
from "night spots" within Manhattan.
It was photographed in the Salvation at 1 Sheriden Square. Jerry Schatzberg was co-owner and girl friend
Fay Dunaway was on the Board of Directors. 1966 (c) copyright John Humen
NOT wolferine
COPYRIGHT (c) John 2 Humen
1966 (c) copyright John Humen
Disco
design Le Drugstore, is a newspaper article showing Mr. Coquelin and an
architectural sculpture executed by his artistic collaborator, John Humen .
POP photo, is a letter to John Humen from
Popular Photography Magazine, Senior Editor, Norman Rothschild referencing their
collaboration on a motion picture project and the Cheetah.
Disco design Museum, is a newspaper article which quotes
light artist John Humen; "an experience of light, bringing a museum to the
mass public."
BUCKINEAR
Xerox, acknowledges light artist, John Humen,
was involved with various researchers at the Xerox Corporate Exploratory
Development Laboratory and was given a working knowledge of the chemistry
required for the implementation of "Liquid Crystals" to change color
with temperature.
1966 (c) copyright John Humen
Scene design, is self explanatory.
1966 (c) copyright John Humen
Scene, Hendrix, Cooky, is a self explanatory double exposure.
John Humen1965 (c) copyright
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| for COOKY: he ain't just whistling dixie! GREAT TIMES from: cleo's MILKSHAKES to you. GREAT TIMES Thanks to the fantastic humor of Alan Burke, TV host, their all smiles. |
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Double exposure with John Humen's four foot square canvas at Cheetah 53rd street  photograph taken by John Humen    Scott Muni's "Rolling Stone" exhibits John Humen's painting that was moved to the "Salvation" location at 1 Sheridan Square as requested by Feye Dunaway. |
