April 16th, 2009 / 1:45 pm
Author Spotlight

Influences: Ken Baumann

catscradle19631

Here’s the way we will be following up on my earlier “Name a piece of art that changed the way you thought about art” post here. If you responded, I will try to contact you about you choices with a mini interview.

First up, our friend and colleague Ken Baumann.

Here are the questions:

1) Pick one of the pieces you chose and describe the thing about it that seems particularly innovative about it.

2) Tell me what changed about your writing because of that innovation.

Here are Ken’s answers. Ken chose to talk about both his selections.

What seems innovative about 2001? Incredible technical achievement aside, 2001: A Space Odyssey is, to me, the perfect example of the power of cinema, especially that of primarily non-verbal storytelling. I’d say my experience with that movie fundamentally changed the way I viewed storytelling, and has informed my taste and practice in all realms of art.

What seems innovative about Cat’s Cradle? That was the first book I read that affected and strongly shaped my belief system. I hope the book is eternally regarded as innovative, in that it, to me, captured perfectly the sorrow and longing and absurdity and fractured nature of human experience.

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12 Comments

  1. Nathan Tyree

      I agree about both works. 2001 was very nearly a silent film, telling a grand story with images. Kubrick had balls to do what he did.

  2. Nathan Tyree

      I agree about both works. 2001 was very nearly a silent film, telling a grand story with images. Kubrick had balls to do what he did.

  3. chris

      cat’s cradle
      good
      a favourite
      yes

  4. chris

      cat’s cradle
      good
      a favourite
      yes

  5. Blake Butler

      noice

  6. Blake Butler

      noice

  7. Ken Baumann

      Thanks Matthew.

  8. Ken Baumann

      Thanks Matthew.

  9. Mr. Wonderful

      Holy shit I just realized this is the kid from Secret Life

  10. Mr. Wonderful

      Holy shit I just realized this is the kid from Secret Life

  11. Neal DeBiasio

      I always find it fasinating the different thing that influence our outlook.

  12. Neal DeBiasio

      I always find it fasinating the different thing that influence our outlook.