Comments on: Edgar Gunther, RIP

By: Francis Caruso

Francis Caruso — Sat, 28 May 2011 16:48:49 +0000

Hello Marc
I appreciated the note about you father’s passing but did not reply then. I was in London when he died and was unable to attend either the funeral or the memorial. Never-the-less I still think of him often and did so just the other day when I viewed some Latin American art. I told my friend that Ed would have liked the painting that we were viewing…then I told my friend about your dad. He was, as someone already said, a strong stubborn and sometimes hard to get on with man who had strong convictions. But, he was truly insightful, always entertaining, generous, fun, and as you know, very intelligent. Our conversations were never boring and always enlightening.

I met Edgar about 20 years ago through a mutual friend in London. We continued to met irregularly over the years as our paths continued to cross.

Though I did not see a great deal of him in 2009 we did go to Bangkok and Thailand together for a month over the Christmas holidays in 2008 where we had great fun escaping the cold USA.

He was always proud of you and your brothers and had no grudges against your mother. May he rest in peace.

By: Prue Barrett

Prue Barrett — Fri, 06 May 2011 02:00:14 +0000

I had the priviledge of meeting your father when I worked as a stewardess/chef onboard a yacht called Rodean in the Mediterranean and your Dad was a guest. If my memory serves me correctly, it was your brother who had charterd the yacht. Sadly for your Dad, on the first afternoon he was onboard the yacht he slipped and fell down the stairs.

Strangely it was this bad luck for Edgar that allowed me to spend so much time with him. Twice that week, when the others would go off to a restaurant, I would sit with your Dad and he invited me to dine with him on the aft deck of the yacht.

Edgar told me all about going to Cuba and being in the movie the Man From Havana. This is how I found your site, I was watching Buena Vista Social Club again after many many years and remembered that Compay Segundo died, during the week that your Dad was onboard the boat. Edgar told me how he knew him. I am now living in New York and thought wow, I should look up and see if Edgar is still here. I am really very sorry to hear of his passing. I enjoyed his company so much, he was very gentle and kind.

My sincerest condolensces to you and your family.
Prue Barrett

By: Sylvia Leonard Wolf

Sylvia Leonard Wolf — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:42:20 +0000

Dear Mark, Andy, and Noel, Yesterday, 3/14/11, I just learned of your father’s death, so perhaps this note will feel redundant. Your Dad was an important person to me – a friend, a mentor, almost like family – through our ties to the Koven family. He was an incredibly complex man, as you very well know, who could be difficult and opinionated to say the least, but he also had so many genuinely wonderful qualities that made him lovable, a caring, good friend, and fun to be with. I’m truly very sorry he’s gone, and sorry for what you – his sons – have had to deal with.
If there is anything I can do, even at this late date, please let me know.
I’d really love to speak with each one of you.
845 679 6363. Sylvia Wolf Levitan.

By: Sonia Rubio

Sonia Rubio — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 19:13:07 +0000

Dear Marc,

I am really sorry about his loss. I worked for him in 2004 while I was in New York. He was an amazing person and he helped me so much!!!! I will always remember his support, his advices, his big heart, his trust…

Rest in peace Edgar

Sonia Rubio

By: Carolina Labbe

Carolina Labbe — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 17:02:50 +0000

Muy estimado Marc:
Siento mucho la muerte de tu padre. No lo puedo creer!
El no deberia haberse ido tan rapidol Lo echo mucho de menos.

Un hombre admirable, extraordinario,de una sensiblidad e inteligencia increibles; su sencillez, su modestia al relacionarse con sus amistades,etc. Y de una gran generosidad, amaba compartir lo suyo. Su gusto por la buena mesa y las artes . su entrega a los artistas jovenes. Fuera de serie.
Edgar fue mi gran amigo, lo quise mucho. el podia ser encantador y reirse de si mismo, era todo un personaje, un hombre fantastico y lleno de energia.
Lo conoci para el Premio Gunther en Santiago de Chile en 1993. Y el se intereso en mi trabajo.
Vino muchas veces a Chile, quedo encantado con nuestra culinaria, arte y los paisajes del Sur de Chile.

By: Patricio Caldera

Patricio Caldera — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:41:02 +0000

Mis condolencias, conocí a don Edgar en Chile en 1993 cuando gané un concurso que el auspiciaba, y luego en Paris cuando el me llevó alla a conocer el arte en Europa
gracias sr Gunther por haber apoyado a los artistas del fin del mundo

By: Elaine Litvack

Elaine Litvack — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:38:17 +0000

Dear Marc: I was totally blown away by your tribute to your father. For some reason I was thinking of him today and decided to “google” him as I hadn’t heard from him for a few years – I didn’t know that he had died but I had a feeling and was hesitant to just try calling him.

As a young person I worked for Allen Wayne and your father was a client of mine while he was at Fortune and later when he was working with the “fund”. I met you and your brothers in Croton years ago and knew a great deal about all of you as your father was extremely proud of his sons.

After I left Allen Wayne and married, we lost touch for awhile until my husband and I ran into him at a Monetary conference. My husband Julie and your father became friends and the three of us met at any number of places including Paris and London. When we moved to Tucson, AZ, Ed came and spent a week with us.

The last time I saw your father was soon after my husband died in 2005/2006. For some reason I couldn’t stop thinking of him today. I send my best wishes and belated condolences to you, Noel and Andy. When you speak with your mother, please send her my best wishes as well.

Sincerely, Elaine Litvack

By: Julieta González

Julieta González — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:59:45 +0000

Dear Marc,

I am in Chile curating an exhibition and just heard about Mr. Gunther’s passing yesterday from one of his Chilean friends. I had no idea and am very sorry for your loss. I worked for your father when I was studying in NY, and helped him decorate the apartment (I selected most of the funkier furniture). We never saw eye to eye when it came to art and had very heated discussions on the topic, nonetheless it was fun working for him. I organized his archive of newspaper clippings which i found very interesting, there was a section devoted to the Asian financial crisis of the mid nineties. When I gave a lecture in London, he flew to see me talk. I last spoke to Mr. Gunther in december 2008, I called to tell him about my new job at Tate Modern, I thought he would be happy to know, we chatted for a while but he did not tell me he was sick, I promised to see him if I went to NY …

I will always remember him on the move and as a very active person, admirable for someone his age.

Good bye Mr. Gunther.

julieta

By: Jim Swander

Jim Swander — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:15:26 +0000

Marc,

I am an American living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I spent many nights sharing discussions with your father in many different restuarants here. He shared wonderful stories which showed how proud he was of all his family. I knew he had a serious illness, as he had expressed, in a few emails, his desire to travel, and return to Cambodia, but the doctors would not let him travel. I am sorry to hear of his passing. The good part is that he lived life to the fullest. He brought joy to many of us who met him. He remined me a lot of my father, who passed a few years ago.

I used to share stories of some of my travels with him. I have just returned from Beijing and worked on a travelogue on Sunday afternoon. It reminded me I had not heard from your father, and hoped he was still fine. I decided to Google search him to see if I could find one of his family. I did not want to find your story, telling me of his passing. Your story closed a chapter on “Ed”, who I considered a friend, yet it open the door to communicate with you. If you ever want information on his travels to Cambodia, just let me know.

I share the loss with you,
Jim

By: sertillanges bernard

sertillanges bernard — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:28:29 +0000

Cher Marc-Je suis bien triste d’apprendre la disparition d’Edgar que je connaissais depuis plus de 15 ans. Nous avons été des amis tres proche et je regrette de ne pouvoir venir le voir a NY en juillet comme il me l’avais demandé….il voulait me rendre mon invitation a Sihanoukville. De retour au Cambodge tous nos amis communs me demandent la date de son arrivée! Ici il est toujours vivant et nous ne l’oublierons pas. Je suis tres heureux d’avoir pu partagé ses dernieres années lors de ses voyages au Cambodge il etait si heureux après avoir touché le sol de ce pays dont il aimait sa simplicité et son hospitalté.
Marc recevez toutes mes condoléances ….si vous désirez quelques photos de votre père envoyez moi votre email et je vous les enverrais. bien à vous. -Bernard Sertillanges