Nick Serota—the architect, as it were, of Tate Modern—has risen to the ninety-ninth place in “The Power List,” which was aired this evening from eight to nine o’clock on Channel Four. Congrats, Nick! To land in the top third of the list of three-hundred most powerful people in Britain and the world is no mean feat, but to do so in the context of contemporary art is a stunning achievement, indeed. Politicians, like Bill Clinton, and business people behind most popular brands, like Bill Gates, dominated the top of the list. I am sure that everyone—artist and lay person, supporter and detractor, enthusiast and skeptic, friend and foe—will rejoice in this boost for the art of our day, which is indeed personified by Nick himself.

Addendum (October 16, 2000)

“Your sarcasm will get you,” wrote Billy Childish the next day. Today I found his message. I was taken aback. It touched me. Sarcasm? Me? Well, Billy may be right about this. His warning really did touch me. I responded at once:

As I wrote to you before, I really appreciate Nick. In what he does, he is very good. No sarcasm here. At the same time, though, I know that Nick is helping stifle many live, vibrant things. But that is the other side of his rôle.

Feeling that I should not go too far at this time with the Grand Inquisitor theme, I concluded with a vague promise: “Anyway, more later.” Billy responded in a matter of minutes, but he focused on the inanity of power lists of all kinds rather than on Nick himself. I let the point drop. But Billy’s admonishment is well taken: “Your sarcasm will get you.” It is well taken, indeed.