Nick Bantock
An Appearance at Powell's City of Books
20 January 2000
Touring in support of his wonderful new book, The Museum at Purgatory, I had the pleasure of seeing Nick Bantock on January 20th at Powell's City of Books, his first appearance in Portland. Now I have to admit, I probably was a little more excited than most about the evening: just the previous day, I had forwarded him a contact request and added that I would be there at the signing. He replied, "Look forward to meeting you." I was utterly jazzed.
The talk and signing were held in Powell's Pearl Room, which is the room devoted to artsy books and where all booksignings are held. (For those of you not familiar with Powell's, it is so huge that each room is of the store is coded with a color. Good thing too, because I would have gotten utterly lost -- as opposed to only slightly lost -- if not for the color scheme.) My companion and I had arrived early and, after a harrowing climb up the parking ramp to park the truck, hit the bookstands. I in particular was after a gift for my friend's birthday, which happened to be that day (or else she would have come too!). I was looking for the more unique of the Bantock books: in particular, Egyptian Jukebox or Kubla Khan (pop-up book based on Coleridge's poem) for her, and for myself, Averse to Beasts, the small poetry book from which he had read at the Printer's Inc. appearance. Sadly, I had not gotten there early enough to snag either Jukebox or Kubla Khan (computer records indicated that both had been in stock), but, a search in Children's Poetry yielded me a copy of Beasts (sans tape, but I'll live). Whoo-ee!
After an utterly flattering and kind introduction by one of Powell's staff, Mr. Bantock appeared to much applause. He was there to promote Museum but I immediately got the sense that many of the fans there were utter Griffin and Sabine devotees and were there just to catch a glimpse of the creator of that astounding trilogy. The room was packed; all the seats filled early (we were packed extremely close together) and there were many more people standing in the rear. Luckily, I did not have to stand.
After joking around about the hotel losing his talking pants (the pants he feels most comfortable talking in... not a pair of talking pants, Gromit!), he did not immediately launch into his new book. We were first regaled with stories galore -- anyone who has seen him speak at an appearance is sure to be familiar with the lucky red socks and how they helped to launch a million-seller book (Griffin and Sabine). He also told of the first time he had seen a naked woman, an interesting tale involving a bus, a Scot, and an donkey (not THAT kind of donkey, but a specific type of bench used by art schools); how the chaotic nature of life was embodied by a fateful game of darts; and a few more I'm sure I'm forgetting. (Some, if not all, of these stories will be included in a autobiography/portfolio called The Artful Dodger due out in Fall, 2000.) He also read a few poems from Beasts... and I caught the woman next to me eyeing my find enviously!
When he spoke of Museum, he also showed slides of the work. He expounded on the gullibility of human nature, aka the White Coat Syndrome, and read an excerpt from Museum regarding the entymology of the word "gargle". And to think, I had bought into it! He also went into the creative process, which, as an artist myself, I am always interested in. He said that about 95% (?) of the 'artifacts' in the museum were either created or altered in some way by him. The others he didn't have to do anything to -- they were perfect as found. He explained the process by which the mummies in the Cavarn Room were created -- wrapping plastic action figures in cloth strips and beating them up/pouring coffee on them/burying them, and so on. :) We also revealed how the effect of the bottles of angel essence was acheived (it involves some average, cheap glass bottles, a painting, backlighting, and masking off the background behind the bottles -- a very gorgeous (and clever) effect). He also spoke of the second part of the book, the Curator's tale, and revealed that the art along the right side of each page was actually all one piece. He had created a long 9' strip of art, which he cut into smaller strips and used. He's always been very interested in marrying the images and the words, spoke of images calling to a more primal language within us all.
At the very end of the reading, he declared that he wanted to ask us our opinion on something. I sat up very straight in my chair, curious to hear what he wanted to know. He went on to say that just before Christmas, 1999, he had been thinking about Griffin and Sabine and the fact that he had not visited that universe in almost 6 or 7 years. He wondered what it might be like to go there again. Well... after spending many 16 hour days in his studio, he reports that he is nearly 100% done with the text and the art of the first draft of... the next book in the saga. (Bear in mind: approximately only one month had passed.) I think you could have knocked me over with a feather at that point; I was speechless! So his question was... did we think it was a good idea? After much sputtering, the audience began applauding wildly. It was a distinct vote of approval. He also said that he has enough inspiration to sustain not just another book... but another trilogy. We applauded louder.
The question and answer period was rather abbreviated; I am pretty sure there were more than three questions but I'll be darned if I can recall the rest of them. Someone asked about a movie version of Griffin and Sabine (the entire trilogy, I suspect). There is apparently one in the works. He recalled the first time someone wanted to turn it into a film, declaring at the meeting that they were truly dedicated to its artistic vision and to staying true to the books... and then shortly afterwards called to say that they wanted to lose the postcards and letters. (So much for dedication!) This second effort is apparently going much better than the first. He didn't give any casting details or anything like that but it is good to hear that the movie is finally in the works. I am intensely curious how they are going to pull it off.
Someone else asked about whether or not Mr. Bantock was ever planning on getting into multimedia. He immediately began speaking about Ceremony of Innocence, the incredibly lush and amazing interactive cd-rom based on the Griffin and Sabine trilogy. At this point I pulled my own personal copy out of my bag to show the lady next to me, who oohed and aaahhed, so I have to admit that I did not hear the rest of the answer or, for that matter, the last question/answer series, since we were talking. Foolish me! Perhaps I can get my companion to fill that part in.
Upon concluding, the signing line formed. It was a doozy, snaking through the aisles of books (naturally, they had to be the aisles of tempting books on medieval illumination and art and other interesting subjects...). I had picked up a copy of Griffin and Sabine to get signed and then purchase for my friend for her birthday since I could not find my first two choices, but during the course of the reading I had decided that I wanted to get her Museum instead, and was pondering this when I overheard the woman behind me saying she'd been looking for Griffin and Sabine for a friend of hers but all of the copies were apparently sold. I turned to her and said that if I could lay my hands on Museum then she could take the Griffin and Sabine that I had in my arms. The store had stocked up on Museum but I was not certain that there were any left at this point. Not five minutes later... I find an abandoned copy of Museum sitting on a cart. I guess it was fate.
Making a long story (and line) short, I finally reach the head of the line. I had been debating which of the books I brought (or was about to buy) I should have him sign. Luckily I didn't have to choose, because I was informed by the girl at the table before I got there he was able to do all of them. I got my copy of Egyptian Jukebox, Kubla Khan, Museum and the cd booklet from Ceremony of Innocence signed (stupidly, I managed to forget to press Beasts his way). When I reached the table, I told him who I was, and I gotta say, it was pretty cool to see a sort of... recognition light in his eyes. We talked briefly (I remember saying something about having been up since 5:30am, to which he asked if I had been driving around all that time. :) ) He also said that he seemed to recall I had been writing to his webmaster (who coincedentally is also named Sandra). I nodded and probably muttered something utterly idiotic.
When I handed him Kubla Khan he looked at it closely and said to me, "Do you know what you have here?" I shook my head, figuring that he meant more than just the fact that I had a copy of one of his out-of-print books. He told me that this particular run of books was supposed to be destroyed, because the color was all wrong. He pointed to the cover, where his name appeared, and said that it was supposed to be red (on my copy, it's white). It had accidentally been delivered to the warehouse and sold, instead. I was so pleased to have something even rarer than just out-of-print, and now I have it signed.
Hm....I know there was a bit more to the conversation but I really kind of forget it. I was probably a little, dare I say it, star-struck. I know I at least thanked him profusely for coming to Portland.
And that reddish-blonde haired woman you saw floating out on Cloud Nine? That would have been me. It was a 2 hour + drive each way, but was so worth it.
ps. My friend Erika devoured Museum. She loved it.
pps. I brought a camera but did I remember to use it? Noooo......
Copyright © 2000, by Sandra Guzdek, and you'll respect that unless you want to be consigned to the Satanic Mills in your next life :)