In this special episode, Coco sits down with Jerry Torre, famously known as “The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens,” to discuss his firsthand memories of life at Grey Gardens and his experiences during the filming of the legendary documentary.
Jerry shares intimate behind-the-scenes stories about the Beales, the atmosphere inside the crumbling East Hampton mansion, and what it was really like working with filmmakers Albert and David Maysles during one of documentary cinema’s most iconic productions. From personal reflections to surprising anecdotes never heard before, this conversation offers a rare glimpse into the world that made Grey Gardens a cultural phenomenon.
About Jerry:
In 1964, Torre visited the New York World’s Fair. While holding his mother’s hand in the Vatican Pavilion, he encountered Michelangelo’s Pietà, a moment he later described as his calling. “I was amazed that something so tender could be carved from something so difficult,” he recalled.
According to gallery owner Jackie Klempay, during time spent in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Torre owned a horse named Confetti, who became a recurring subject in his exhibited work. In 1987, he began carving stone in the stairwell of his partner’s apartment on 23rd Street in New York City.
Torre is now based in Queens and works primarily in stone and earthenware. Writing in The New York Times, Will Heinrich described his sculpture The Marble Faun as “at once rough and ornate,” noting that it allows viewers to appreciate “the stone’s own numinous warmth.”
His debut exhibition took place in 2014 at the Jackie Klempay Gallery in Bushwick, Brooklyn. He is currently represented by SITUATIONS in New York City and has exhibited work at SITUATIONS; Canada Gallery; Andrew Edlin Gallery; Geary Contemporary; Bureau of General Services/Queer Division; Center 548 in New York City; 2nd Floor Projects in San Francisco; and other venues.
Torre’s work is held in the collection of the American Folk Art Museum. In 2024, he exhibited at MoMA PS1 in Hard Ground and later that fall participated in an exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art. That same year, during the Art Students League of New York gala, he carved a sculpture live inside the museum. In 2025, he exhibited at White Columns and received critical praise from Jerry Saltz for his participation in the exhibition.
