The legendary sc/roll of “On the Road“ which sparked so many people hitchhiking, train hopping, disappearing on ships — opening their mind, exploring new cultures and traditions and sparking so much counter-culture… from beats, pranksters, hippies, punks, to diy independent everything and freethinking anyone, yes that one / ‘Tis lionized in many songs, remixes, movies, chapbooks, fanzines – the thumbprints are everywhere.
And now you can add to the legend by showing up as this (valuable in every sense) artifact is coming to Asia for the first time ever. Specifically, Kobe Japan from April 25 – May 31 at BB Plaza Museum of Art.
Plus, your old pal (me!) is helping kick things off with a special hands-on, hand-made, do-it-ourselves, story-making workshop on April 29. All ages welcome, just bring a curious mind and be ready to use some scissors and glue and instant camera and typewriters and have some laughs and learning.
Will be sharing more about this in the coming days but mark on your calendar, plot your coordinates, figure out the train route, make your hitchhike sign – whatever it takes to get yourself in the spirit.
Of course if you have any questions hit me up, and please take the time to tell your friends in Japan or elsewhere. In the meanwhile, here’s a few more snaps of the poster/brochure with backgrounder on ole Jack in English and Japanese to educate yerself and pals.
Note: last year I completely changed my life, moved to Japan, married a remarkable woman (kid on the way :-)) and then I learned that Jack Kerouac’s holy sc/roll up of “on the road” is bound for Kobe – First time ever in Asia.
All that hitchhiking, train riding, disappearing on ships, scribbling poetry in alleys, too much wine, so many countries, seeking out inspiration from King Tut’s mask to Cascadian mountain peaks, crossing Pacific and most of Indian ocean by ship, criss-crossing Americas by VW, drive-away car, ‘hound, train, and of course thumb then doing the same around so many other countries/continents/islands, dozens of very odd jobs, somewhere a few colleges, a breakdown or 3, transiting Suez and Hormuz, thwarting hi-jackers in New Mexico, tricking thief in Oktoberfest and another in Istanbul, avoiding pirates in Gulf of Aden, lost in Nepali villages, sequestered in Indian clinics, not running in Olympia, hanging with ghosts of Caesars, ya get the idea… all the while filling the notebooks with poems and paints and ephemera / All coming together on a Wednesday (holiday) in April it seems. Let’s hope it all stays on track and we can commune with paper and create new artifacts of our own, sound good to you?
I’ve got a suitcase – quite literally – full of tricks to share.
More: https://www.facebook.com/Kerouac-Comes-to-Japan-1412997018836396/