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Friday, August 6, 2010

Books / Genius Get to Know a Genius: Jim Woodring Wants to Build an Enormous Pen

Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 12:27 PM

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Maybe after he's done paying for his new sewer, 2010 Stranger Genius of Literature Jim Woodring can put some of that Genius cash toward this project, for which he's soliciting funds:

I am soliciting $4,500 to manufacture a giant steel dip pen and penholder for public demonstration and display. I hope to promote the understanding and use of this beautiful piece of ancient technology through a series of performances, as well as create an art object in itself.

The pen, as he's imagining it, would be over 7 feet tall. Woodring plans to learn how to draw with it so he can draw comics in public. The adorable video explaining this project (with a little bit of insight into his work) is here.

And I've been reading every interview with Woodring I can get my hands on in preparation of the profile I'll be writing for our Genius Issue. This interview with Henry Chamberlain is one of the better recent examples:

HC: If you could be a fly on the wall, anywhere and in any time period to witness something, when and where would you be?

JW: I would be in Dakshineswar, India, in 1875, sitting at the feet of Sri Ramakrishna.

In conclusion: Every new thing I learn about Jim Woodring makes me love him a little bit more.

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Awesome idea. I'm so glad Woodring got a genius award. He really is a bona-fide genius. Weathercraft made me think of a funny and interesting John Cage quote. In response to the great Robert Ashley video opera Perfect Lives, Cage said something to the effect of: "The Koran, The Bible, what use are they after Perfect Lives?" The same could be said for Weathercraft.

Posted by Hosono on August 6, 2010 at 1:38 PM