Negative Space

A heartbreaking memoir of art, addiction, and a daughter's search for her father.
Lilly Dancyger delves into the life of her father, Joe Schactman, a 1980s East Village artist whose creative passion was intertwined with a heroin addiction. After his sudden death, Lilly pieces together fragmented memories and confronts the instability that shaped her childhood.

Through his provocative sculptures and the stories of those who knew him, Lilly confronts her grief and anger, seeking to understand her father's artistic legacy and her own identity. Negative Space explores the complexities of family, addiction, and the enduring power of art, offering a poignant journey of self-discovery. For readers of complex family stories and the New York art scene.