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Bryan Collier & Visiting Langston
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From: Nicholas Glass <nick>
Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2003 11:36:14 -0600
Hi. I'd like to share an edited transcript of Bryan Collier talking with me about his Coretta Scott King Illustration Honor book Visiting Langston
(written by Willie Perdomo, Henry Holt, 2002). I went to Bryan's studio in Harlem and interviewed him for TeachingBooks.net. His thoughts about the depth of Langston and how he wanted to capture this in his illustration and contrast it with this lively, lovely girl are fascinating. I hope these insights directly from Bryan shed some light into this book for you.
I invite all of you who want to learn more about Bryan Collier to experience the virtual author program I've created with him at http://www.TeachingBooks.net. You can see a 5-minute movie of him doing collage in his studio; read an edited interview with Bryan; link to many pertinent websites about him, and much more. You'll need to register to access the website, but it is free to use. Email me off list if you have any questions about this. Enjoy.
Nick
- * - * - * - *
TEACHINGBOOKS: Young people who are writers and poets can relate to Visiting Langston. What makes this a story you wanted to help tell?
BRYAN COLLIER: The thing about Langston here is that he spoke to you on every level, every stage of your life. And it didn't matter whether you were schooled or not, he spoke to the human experience that he observed and traveled and saw.
And the glorious thing about Visiting Langston is about this little girl who sort of has that old soul feel. She's an old soul and mature beyond her years in a lot of subtle ways. And you can hear it in the text. If you listen closely to the text you can hear her maturity in the text. That's why it's for adults and kids.
The words and the images speak to the idea that in life you're going to be sad and joyful. Like let's talk about New York today at this moment. [Less than one month after the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01.] I feel good. I'm still sad. There's duality that happens. Yes, the day goes on. It's a beautiful blue day out here today. But, there's an undercurrent out here, man, that's incredibly sad. So the duality is that they can happen at the same time. And that's part of the complexity of Langston. Langston's friends thought he was the happiest man alive. All they saw was him smiling and being joyful, but inside he was dealing with this. And that's part of what comes out artistically in his writings.
There are two things happening. He's misunderstood. He doesn't fit anywhere. He doesn't fit in his house; he doesn't fit in any particular space. No matter where he goes he feels uncomfortable. Even growing up as a kid when he hung out with a lot of Russian kids and stuff, he didn't quite fit in there.
The dichotomy I had with that book was, Langston . . . I mean, I've read a lot of his stuff and I credit Langston a lot for teaching us all about Harlem and making us know, hey, there's this incredible vibrant spot here. And let's never forget that. And he wrote out of fear and sorrow, and you even see in the book that he's sad, that his poems and writings are sad. When I look at this ?contemporary Langston,? (the girl) I see no sadness in her.
--- This section is clipped from the In?pth Interview of Bryan Collier created by and found on TeachingBooks.net.
- * - * - * - *
Nick Glass TeachingBooks.net 313 West Beltline Highway, Suite 150 Madison, WI 53713
p 608 257.2919 f 608 327.8010 e nick at teachingbooks.net
http://www.teachingbooks.net
Received on Thu 06 Mar 2003 11:36:14 AM CST
Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2003 11:36:14 -0600
Hi. I'd like to share an edited transcript of Bryan Collier talking with me about his Coretta Scott King Illustration Honor book Visiting Langston
(written by Willie Perdomo, Henry Holt, 2002). I went to Bryan's studio in Harlem and interviewed him for TeachingBooks.net. His thoughts about the depth of Langston and how he wanted to capture this in his illustration and contrast it with this lively, lovely girl are fascinating. I hope these insights directly from Bryan shed some light into this book for you.
I invite all of you who want to learn more about Bryan Collier to experience the virtual author program I've created with him at http://www.TeachingBooks.net. You can see a 5-minute movie of him doing collage in his studio; read an edited interview with Bryan; link to many pertinent websites about him, and much more. You'll need to register to access the website, but it is free to use. Email me off list if you have any questions about this. Enjoy.
Nick
- * - * - * - *
TEACHINGBOOKS: Young people who are writers and poets can relate to Visiting Langston. What makes this a story you wanted to help tell?
BRYAN COLLIER: The thing about Langston here is that he spoke to you on every level, every stage of your life. And it didn't matter whether you were schooled or not, he spoke to the human experience that he observed and traveled and saw.
And the glorious thing about Visiting Langston is about this little girl who sort of has that old soul feel. She's an old soul and mature beyond her years in a lot of subtle ways. And you can hear it in the text. If you listen closely to the text you can hear her maturity in the text. That's why it's for adults and kids.
The words and the images speak to the idea that in life you're going to be sad and joyful. Like let's talk about New York today at this moment. [Less than one month after the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01.] I feel good. I'm still sad. There's duality that happens. Yes, the day goes on. It's a beautiful blue day out here today. But, there's an undercurrent out here, man, that's incredibly sad. So the duality is that they can happen at the same time. And that's part of the complexity of Langston. Langston's friends thought he was the happiest man alive. All they saw was him smiling and being joyful, but inside he was dealing with this. And that's part of what comes out artistically in his writings.
There are two things happening. He's misunderstood. He doesn't fit anywhere. He doesn't fit in his house; he doesn't fit in any particular space. No matter where he goes he feels uncomfortable. Even growing up as a kid when he hung out with a lot of Russian kids and stuff, he didn't quite fit in there.
The dichotomy I had with that book was, Langston . . . I mean, I've read a lot of his stuff and I credit Langston a lot for teaching us all about Harlem and making us know, hey, there's this incredible vibrant spot here. And let's never forget that. And he wrote out of fear and sorrow, and you even see in the book that he's sad, that his poems and writings are sad. When I look at this ?contemporary Langston,? (the girl) I see no sadness in her.
--- This section is clipped from the In?pth Interview of Bryan Collier created by and found on TeachingBooks.net.
- * - * - * - *
Nick Glass TeachingBooks.net 313 West Beltline Highway, Suite 150 Madison, WI 53713
p 608 257.2919 f 608 327.8010 e nick at teachingbooks.net
http://www.teachingbooks.net
Received on Thu 06 Mar 2003 11:36:14 AM CST
