“On The Road” – Learn about Jack Kerouac’s classic novel in Kobe, Japan from July 3 to August 8. This book is the fountainhead of so much what we now call counter culture – breaking out of the illusions of postwar malaise and sparking so much of what we know to be true today about personal expression, practical freedom, and mind expansion.
This exhibit will feature rare and unique editions of Kerouac and contemporaries books, typewriters and a faithful reproduction of the original sc/roll of On the Road as well as a speaker series.
Also: a fantastic guide about On the Road for Japanese readers made by Prof Theado and his classes outlining and explaining much of the unique vocabulary, slang, colloquialisms and cultural references – plus a rundown of Jazz musicians – from the book specifically for Japanese audiences.
Sure hoping all comes together safely and we can celebrate this story together after last year’s event being thwarted by public health concerns.
Like everything, not shockingly, the Jack Kerouac “on the road” sc/roll exhibition in Kobe (what would’ve been the sc/roll’s first time in Asia), and my related storymaking workshop “We are the stories we create“ are cancelled.
Good news is: I have a handy inky “cancelled” stamp to make the poster an accurate souvenir.
Best regards to Professor Matt Theado and his colleagues at the University and museum for all the work that went into this project and also hat tip to the keeper of the artifact, the wonderfully named, Mr. Jim Canary, who would’ve been subject to a two week quarantine amongst other challenges of going forward with this event.
Not a lot of fun but we could’ve delivered him rice balls a few times a day and left them at the door :).
Hopefully, there will be an availability in the future for Mr. Canary and the scroll to make the trip. I had big ideas for my workshop, but not really things that are shareable by video as meant to be hands-on.
The time will come, the time will come.
Patience and time are our allies. I’ll keep sharing the goods from Jack Kerouac and contemporaries in the meanwhile.
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. Continue reading Hit the road with Kerouac – from New York to Kobe (or something like that)→
Workshop: “We Are the Stories We Create” April 29 (Wed.) 14:00 to 16:00 Venue: BB Plaza Museum of Art, Kobe, Japan Capacity: 20 people / Free participation (* Exhibition ticket required) / Advance reservation system / First come first served / Presented in English and Japanese
Blurb: Handmade workshop! Participants create their stories using typewriters, paper, scissors and glue, and explore various ways to share them. Create one booklet together. We work with original materials such as mimeographs and hand-made books shown by instructor Dave.
+++ 会場:BBプラザ美術館 神戸市灘区岩屋中町4-2-7 BBプラザ2F TEL 078-802-9286 シンポジウム「ジャック・ケルアックの『オン・ザ・ロード』の旅:神戸から世界へ」 5月24 日(日)13:00-17:00 (開場 12:30) 会 場:シマブンホール(BBプラザ4F) 定 員:200名 聴講無料(*展覧会観覧券の提示要)・事前予約制 ・先着順 ・通訳付 講演者: 青山南(作家、翻訳家) 柴田元幸(神戸市外国語大学客員教授、東京大学名誉教授、『MONKEY』責任編集者、翻訳家) ヒラリー・ハラデイ(ビート研究者、前マサチューセッツ大学ローウェル校アメリカン・スタディーズ・ケルアック・センター所長、What’s Your Road, Man?: Critical Essays on Jack Kerouac’s On the Road 編集者) マシュー・セアドー(神戸市外国語大学教授、著作 Understanding Jack Kerouac, The Beats: A Literary Reference) 司 会:難波江仁美(神戸市外国語大学教授)
Kerouac “On the Road” storymaking workshop / in Japanese and English
Workshop: “We Are the Stories We Create”
April 29 (Wed.) 14:00 to 16:00
Venue: BB Plaza Museum of Art, Kobe, Japan
Capacity: 20 people / Free participation (* Exhibition ticket required) / Advance reservation system / First come first served /
Presented in English and Japanese
Blurb:
Handmade workshop! Participants create their stories using typewriters, paper, scissors and glue, and explore various ways to share them. Create one booklet together. We work with original materials such as mimeographs and hand-made books shown by instructor Dave.
Jack Kerouac is well-noted for typing/writing his epic novels of personal discovery against a backdrop of a rapidly changing America on long sc/rolls of paper – to maintain momentum rather than pausing to change sheets among other reasons.
There are around 8 of these sc/rolls in existence and all were sold off by the estate managers (rather than archived in museums/libraries) the location of most is unknown… however the most *famous* of the rolls “On the Road” sold for some millions and is now coming for exhibition display to Kobe, Japan at BB Plaza Museum.
Of course, Kerouac is a massive influence on my life of hitchhiking, train/ship riding, poetry writing, and finding beauty in the downtrodden and digging into life with vigour and authenticity.
Along with the majestic original tome of a genre-defining and culture-changing book comes a series of events curated by Prof Matt Theado and colleagues at Kobe University [see Kerouac Comes to Japan FB to follow along] including documentary film screening, symposium and more.
Among the line-up is your pal (me) doing a 2 hour hands-on analog workshop about making stories in various formats. I’ll be bringing the old-timey suitcases filled with surprises from the archive and supplies for making new artifacts in real-time.
If you are in Japan, consider coming along – seriously, we’ll have a good time. Not in Japan? Maybe i’ll capture some goodness for ya but if you can spread the word and/or send some vibes, ’tis well-appreciated.
Read on for details of my gig and then more about the event in general… Also, spending time with the roll i suspect will feel like see King Tutankhamun’s death mask (Seattle 1978).
Capacity: 20 people / Free participation (* Exhibition ticket required) / Advance reservation system / First come first served / Presented in English and Japanese
Handmade workshop! Participants create their stories using typewriters, paper, scissors and glue, and explore various ways to share them. Create one booklet together. We work with original materials such as mimeographs and hand-made books shown by instructor Dave. Continue reading “On The Road” to Kobe for Kerouac – scroll exhibit and story workshop→
My pal and co-conspirator Cameron Uganec spoke at a marketing conference in Squamish BC and used my riff about Fck Stats, Make Art as an example/inspiration/anecdote for the assembled masses who seemed to enjoy the sentiment. Artifacts follow:
Basically, I outlined various traits and skills about leadership – most of which i’ve exercised at my day job – and explained scenarios from past adventures which taught (or allowed me to practice) these skills.
For example: Patience while arriving in Japan learning no language, or the importance of escape plan when confronted with an un-savory ride.
This construct allowed me to share the lost years of roaming and experiment with some new metaphors.
In all, some fun storytelling to a full room (off-mic and off page). I’ll compile the Twitter (great) feedback eventually, but here are a few key artifacts so far:
1) The slide deck featuring photos of hitchhiking signs from journeys past as well as anecdotal snaps
2) An article from the Vancouver Sun which i’ll liberally excerpt from for the preservation of the record.
Slide Deck
Notes
Vancouver Sun Article
Note 2 alternate versions: Bringing a good idea to fruition and Everyone can be a leader By Jenny Lee, Vancouver Sun January 8, 2011 Dave Olson community director of Vancouver technology company, Hootsuite, says leadership skills are best learned when you’re out of your comfort zone. Photograph by: Jason Payne, Vancouver Sun
Conference speaker Dave Olson, who is community director of Hootsuite, a young local technology company, believes that leadership is learned by getting out of one’s comfort zone both pysically and mentally.
Leadership in fast-paced technological world is all about teamwork and camaraderie. Leaders must learn to trust, delegate, experiment and refine, he said.
“A lot of the things we experience living an adventurous life teaches us practical skills when leading fast paced groups,” Olson said. For Olson, that meant travelling. “Other people can learn the same feeling of openness when volunteering to work with handicapped kids one summer. For me, I learned about openness by sticking out my thumb.”
At Hootsuite everyone works in one big room and “everyone’s opinion is valid,” Olson said. “There are not a bunch of egos. We cross over and share skills across the department.
“You definitely have to cultivate that atmosphere,” Olson added. “You have to have something that brings that to life. [And] it starts top down.”
I’m heading to Gnomedex shortly … here’s how you can play along at home with this special board game edition which wou’ll receive along with your year supply of Rice a Roni!
I won’t be doing on-site blogging this time (no laptop) but am taking recorder and camera and plan to document a bit but mostly soak all the fuzzy knowledge in to hone my ability to see into the future of media, communication, activism and efficiency. Excited to hang out with more amazing folsk brewingup crazy goodness and catch up the club at this geekfest summer camp. Fortunately non-A listers like me are able to attend to keep it real ;-).
Maslow take note of all these fufilled and almost actualized people!
Gnomedex is a funny name. There’s something absurd about the word gnome, and using it toreplace the first syllable of a stuffy, corporate-sounding acronym really makes Gnomedex work. Gnome makes you think of garden gnomes. And the Underpants Gnomes of South Park.They have a three-point business plan that may seem eerily familiar toyou VCs and angels out there, and cut a little close to the bone foryou web entrepreneurs:
Admitting my affection for the GoGos at the final night party of Gnomedex at Experience Music Project, I check in with Jay aka Cosmo G Spacely the Unabonger, Jacob from Arkansas and the lovely Dingo to recap the event whilst lounging at the bar.
Topics include:
* PT’s (of Make Magazine) rapid hardware hacks
* Ethan Kaplan’s (at the time at Warner Brothers) views on the music industry and REM stories
* Some disagreement between veterans including Dave Winer and some upstarts about the “way things should be done”
* Tara Hunt and Chris Messina (then of Citizen Media) and the advantage of keeping companies small (i.e. 80 10lb spider monkeys vs an 800lb gorillas)
* Werner Voegels (CTO of Amazon) introducing the concept of cloud storage and delivery
* The variety of companies here between big and small, and absent and here, including Yahoo, Google, Intel and the love of Flickr
* Meeting new friends including Jacob from Arkansas who shares a birthday with Cosmo
* Kum By Ya singing
* Dave Dederer (ex Presidents of the United States of America) jam session
* EMP’s Sci-Fi exhibit
* Props for Chris Pirillo
* etc.
mixed-media art library, global diary, project dossier and whole life documentation