Amos Poe

Occupation Artist

Hometown Tel Aviv

Current Residence Brownsville

When it comes to downtown New York, who better to talk to than the man who has made the streets of Lower Manhattan his film set since the ’70s? Filmmaker, artist, director, screenwriter, producer—there are many labels one might assign to Amos Poe but above all, he has come to be known as the “father” of the modern Indie American cinema. Here, Poe shares his favorite downtown spots and more.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
Under the silvery moon.

WHAT WOULD THE TITLE OF YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY BE?
A Reasonable Man.

WHAT CAN’T YOU TRAVEL WITHOUT AND WHY?
Brown Bunny.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION AND WHY?
Austin, Texas, and Tangiers (the sophistication).

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN NYC?
Nap.

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE ONE PERSON TO SHOW YOU “THEIR NEW YORK CITY,” WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
Charlotte Rampling, Warren Buffet, and Willem de Kooning.

WHO OR WHAT HAS INSPIRED YOU RECENTLY AND WHY?
Philip Kerr and Buster Keaton.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE NYC RESTAURANTS. WHAT DO YOU ORDER THERE?
Mickey D’s on 6th Avenue and 15th Street (four burgers).

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO SPOT IN NYC FOR DRINKS?
Water fountain at LGBT on 13th Street.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BRUNCH SPOTS?
Morandi (everything).

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR ART FIX IN NYC? DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ARTIST?
Paula Cooper; Lucy Poe and Nick Poe are faves.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE LATE-NIGHT HANGOUTS IN NYC AND WHY?
High Line; it’s empty.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR UNDER-THE-RADAR MUST-DO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NYC VISITORS?
Roosevelt Island.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE NYC STORES AND WHY?
Century 21 ($$$$$).

WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU LISTENING TO THESE DAYS? WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE MUSICIANS?
Easy Skillet, Troublesome Nostrils, Sandy Bell… a few others…

WHAT ALBUM OR SONG WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR PERSONAL SOUNDTRACK TO NYC?
Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World (for its sincerity).

WHEN YOU THINK OF NYC, ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR EMOTIONS OR MEMORIES THAT IMMEDIATELY COME TO MIND?
Almost none… (Alzheimer’s).

PHOTOGRAPHY Victoria Cohen