Virtual Reality: Gawking at Writers in Unnatural Habitats

A A A Comments By Ed Park Tuesday, Apr 26 2005

photo: Cody Montgomery

Architect-artist Ian Montgomery

Details

Novel
Opens May 7, through June 4
Opening party, May 7, 7 to 10 p.m.
Closing party, June 4, 7 to 10 p.m.
Flux Factory
38-38 43rd Street
Long Island City, Queens
718.707.3362

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Georges Simenon could write a novel in 11 days; according to a since debunked legend, he once finished an entire book in a day, enclosed David Blaine–like in a clear room while the public watched. Beginning May 7, Flux Factory's "living installation" Novel puts three authors—Grant Bailie, Ranbir Sidhu, and former Voicean Laurie Stone—in three different enclosed environments for 30 days. Visitors can watch them scribble or stew from 3 to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and from noon to 4 p.m. on weekends. On June 4, the writers come out of the chrysalis having completed a brand-new novel. (Then they're welcome to participate in my installation, which is a five-year artwork called Revision.) Designed by a team of architect-artists and guest curated by Bee Season author Myla Goldberg, Novel features weekly Saturday-evening readings of the works in progress. A May 15 panel discussion (featuring Goldberg and journalist-fictioneer Tom Bissell) and a May 22 forum with the space designers will further elaborate the issues involved: creativity, solitude, concentration, how to go to the bathroom. Here's hoping the author-subjects can stick to their stories: Didn't Pascal posit that all human misery comes from the inability of man to sit still in a room?