Kenny Goss stands by his man, and his foundation's new emphasis12:00 AM CST on Sunday, November 14, 2010
Alan Peppard apeppard@dallasnews.com
Contractors are scurrying to finish the 12,000-square-foot Goss-Michael Foundation art gallery in the Design District for its invitation-only opening party Thursday, while art preparators are uncrating massive works such as Damien Hirst's 10-foot sculpture Saint Sebastian.
'I don't think only rich people should get to see art,' says Kenny Goss. In the background is a work by Angus Fairhurst. The cacophony is an ashram of tranquility to locally raised collector Kenny Goss, who spent the fall in a maelstrom of one of Britain's biggest tabloid stories. On Sept. 14, Goss was photographed wiping away tears outside Highbury Corner Magistrates Court after his partner of 14 years, singer George Michael, was sentenced to eight weeks in jail for smashing his Range Rover into a defenseless Snappy Snaps photo shop in North London while under the influence of cannabis – not his first mishap with drugs, cars or the law.
Michael served 27 days, and Goss stood by his man. Then the Texan got on a plane to Dallas, where the two keep the bulk of their enormous collection of contemporary British art, reported in the media to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and where they have a home in Highland Park.......
Now over 50, Goss still looks like the fit University of North Texas cheerleader who became wealthy as an executive with Lawrence "Herkie" Herkimer's Cheerleader Supply Co. Finding a quiet spot in the former warehouse, he sat for some questions Tuesday.
In 2005, you launched this venture as a retail art gallery, then switched midstream to a private foundation promoting Young British Artists. What's up with that?
"First, it's what I was collecting. This amazing movement, the YBA group, was not even acknowledged here. There was not a single Damien Hirst in Dallas, and he is the most successful living artist in the world, if you judge it monetarily. [The Sunday Times Rich List puts Hirst's net worth at $345 million.]"
Isn't that how most people judge things?
"That's how many people judge things."
If you and George are privately funding the whole operation, then you really put the non- in nonprofit. Don't those bills add up?
"Yes, the bills add up, but it's not something we think about. George is the most generous man on the planet. I'm the materialistic one. But I don't think only rich people should get to see art. This way, kids can come and see this YBA art without having to be rich and go to New York or London."
Describe George Michael's input regarding the foundation.
"He has opinions, but he does the music. For the art, he trusts me. What he gives is 100 percent support and encouragement. I was working for Herkie Herkimer's company, and then we were bought out. George said, "Kenny, why don't you do something you've always dreamed of doing?" He gave financial support, but his real input was encouragement. He has never questioned for a second what I was doing, and I'm a working-class kid from Texas who had never been in a museum until I was 19. "
How often is George in Dallas and how often are you in London?
"I spend a lot more time in London. I spend a third of the year here. He's here probably a month out of the year."
Everyone can agree that George's car keys need to be melted into a paperweight. But he has shown dignity in an undignified situation by declining to do the celebrity talk show perp walk. In many ways, you are the more public of the two. How do you handle the downside of having a famous partner?
"It's not about me. I'm not famous. The constant paparazzi attention is not about me. One thing I like about Dallas is that there is no paparazzi. Do I wish he hadn't gotten in the car? Absolutely. I think that phone call to me, when he called and said it happened again, wasn't easy. But when you love someone, you support them through the good and the bad."
But when he got out of jail, you were the one forced to answer questions about whether he'd gone to rehab.
"Oh, that was just someone who'd shouted a question outside the house [in London]. It was surprising how quickly a month went by. I'm sure it didn't go that quickly for him. When someone you love gets themselves in a situation like that, you have an understanding of why it happened. George is my family.
Look, George is the most sweet, kind man I know. He would give his last penny to someone who needed it and not expect any public acknowledgment ......"
