Valerie Caris Blitz, a longtime New York City-based painter, actress and activist, died July 28 after a long illness. She was 52.Influenced by “all the disciplines of the 20th-century avant-garde,” she was heavily involved with the Lower East Side art space ABC No Rio in its early days, exhibiting her paintings and performing there. She also spent time in Berlin, where eccentric art dealer Emanuela Schwankl organized her first solo show. She appeared in more than 40 films, including Ari Roussimoff’s Shadows of the City and Michael Brynntrup’s Die Bortschaft (The Message).After she was diagnosed with HIV in 1989, her work became more conceptual. Her pieces “Queen Sex Positive” and “Vestment” were part of the Sur Rodney Sur show “Blood Fairies.” In the last 10 years, she returned to her first love, abstract-expressionist painting. She also volunteered at the Mayday Books infoshop.“There are a number of women with AIDS who become artists because AIDS pushes them into expression,” said performance artist Penny Arcade. “Valerie was an artist before she got AIDS, and having AIDS then became her subject matter.”She is survived by her husband, percussionist Eric Blitz, and their four cats.
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Eric Blitz and Seth Tobocman came by and gave me the sad news that Valerie had died. I had to watch Shadows In the City again-- she nailed her role- Valerie was one of the featured stars in the movie. It was great seeing her at the top of her game. Valerie was a charm and a trooper right till the end. We crossed paths a number of times in the last few years. She was always beaming with positive, caring, and a living every moment energy.
Valerie's death marks the loss of one more of our magic warriors- the disappearance of one more of our courageous artists- our tribe continues to get smaller- I mourn the fact that she is no longer with us in body, but we will carry her spirit.
She is remembered-
love and respect
clayton patterson
Valerie, may your spirit rest in peace, joy, and community with the rest of our ancestors. Tania
I am sad that I did not know about her work sooner. We need to celebrate folks while they are around.
In the 24 years that I have been involved with disabled artists, most were artists before disabled by
accident or illness. (I have been disabled by CFS/ME. About half way through my professional
career.) I am glad that Valerie got professional recognition, as well as recognition as an activist.
(Those captcha messages are priceless; pun intended: mine is "Met's coolness" - think museum, not
baseball. And sexism. When Nell Blaine, painter, was alive, she was the only living woman painter who had cards
of her paintings on sale at the Met's store. In the 1990s.)
Valerie Caris leaves behind a grieving family who only learned of her death yesterday. May our beloved Valerie Rest in Peace.
How beautiful to receive this from our daughter, Althea, who lives in London. And how beautiful Valerie looks. And how exciting her paintings are. Tessie and Costa. She was "one in a million." One cannot say more.
As long-time friends of Valerie's family, we send our heartfelt condolences to her grieving parents and sister who loved her so much. Valerie lives on in her vibrant paintings.
no modification is forthcoming
Sad to hear- she did great work.
the Earth has lost one of her strongest allies . . .
VALERIE was an amazing human being – one of the wisest, most beautiful, sweetest, and loving womyn to EVER grace this planet with her most auspicious PRESENCE and ENERGY . . .
VALERIE loves the rain – next time there is rain and thunder and lightning PLEASE KNOW that that is VALERIE, throwing thunderbolts with Oya!!!
VALERIE loves her eternally-loving husband Eric and their family of four cats – Crowley, Bébé, Sweetheart, and TOOKIE – NOW and FOREVER . . .
i speak of VALERIE in the PRESENT tense because, while she is no longer bound by the physical restrictions of a human body, her SPIRIT is STRONGER than ever; the whole UNIVERSE is INFUSED with her pure essence and life force and VITALITY . . .
YES it is a struggle because we are no longer able to experience running into VALERIE at May Day Books and give her great big TeleTubby BIG HUGS . . .
HOWEVER we must put aside our selfishness and our egos and fight on for that in which we believe – i cannot help but think that *that* is what VALERIE would have wanted us all to do . . . VALERIE *IS* the PHOENIX, who rises out of the ashes TO FIGHT ON!!!
I grew up knowing Valerie as the daughter of one of my mother's dear friends. It is sad to hear of her passing and I send the warmest thoughts to her family whose lives intertwined with my famiy's through out the years. This article is a real tribute to the woman she became. I was not aware of her many talents. So much of a person goes into the artistic process. Those pieces will live on in through her work.
very sad to hear. Valerie performed with my band "Die Toedliche Doris" in West-Berlin in 1984. I remember a great performer and a wonderful woman!
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