Factory photographer and Lou Reed’s ‘worst’ person: the legacy of Nat Finkelstein
The photographer was unfairly cut out of the Factory’s inner circle – why is his work overlooked?
Who are the worst three people in the world? Back in the mid-to-late-1960s, you had quite a few to choose from. However, when Lou Reed picked his trio there was, really, only one name on the list. “The three worst people in the world,” said Reed back in 1967, “are Nat Finkelstein and two speed dealers.”
Reed’s frustration with a poor amphetamine supply is understandable. His dislike for one of the most dedicated and talented photographers to shoot the Velvet Underground in their prime, as well as Warhol and many other Factory luminaries, needs more unpacking.