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The Sleepworker
"As New York, capital of the twentieth century, recedes from memory, it becomes more like Paris; we flock to it to pay tribute to the great things that once happened there. New York is now a miasma of apocryphal myths feasting on its own corpse. On these pages, Martinez spins hazy rumor and wilting gossip into blistering contemporary fiction, holding up Warhol's mirror to the myth of Warhol himself. The result is a delicious celebration of simulacra where, like New York New York itself, nothing is true, but everything is permitted."—Kenneth Goldsmith
John is a poet. Only John almost never writes poems, because he is also unemployed. He lives with four friends, and they squat in a loft in New York New York, a fantastical city that resembles the Big Apple, but also any other city where artists live. They throw fabulous parties and practice group sodomy. That is, until John meets Andy.
Andy is an artist. Well, he is if you define art as something that people don't want but the artist wants to give them anyway. A gallery owner with Tourette syndrome "discovers" his work and Andy is on his way to being famous. John, on the other hand, is hard at work at being unemployed, drinking all night and sleeping all day—which leaves him very little time for writing poems. Andy, watching him sleep, has an intriguing idea for a piece of art that he thinks will allow John to get paid for what he does best.
Using the story of Andy Warhol and John Giorno and their film Sleep as a starting point, The Sleepworker reads like a Warhol film on fast-forward.
Cyrille Martinez is a poet and novelist living in Paris. This is his English debut.
Joseph Patrick Stancil has studied French and translation at UNC-Chapel Hill and New York University. He currently lives in New York, New York.
John is a poet. Only John almost never writes poems, because he is also unemployed. He lives with four friends, and they squat in a loft in New York New York, a fantastical city that resembles the Big Apple, but also any other city where artists live. They throw fabulous parties and practice group sodomy. That is, until John meets Andy.
Andy is an artist. Well, he is if you define art as something that people don't want but the artist wants to give them anyway. A gallery owner with Tourette syndrome "discovers" his work and Andy is on his way to being famous. John, on the other hand, is hard at work at being unemployed, drinking all night and sleeping all day—which leaves him very little time for writing poems. Andy, watching him sleep, has an intriguing idea for a piece of art that he thinks will allow John to get paid for what he does best.
Using the story of Andy Warhol and John Giorno and their film Sleep as a starting point, The Sleepworker reads like a Warhol film on fast-forward.
Cyrille Martinez is a poet and novelist living in Paris. This is his English debut.
Joseph Patrick Stancil has studied French and translation at UNC-Chapel Hill and New York University. He currently lives in New York, New York.
112 pages, Paperback
First published August 18, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 2, 2018
sanat, sanatçı, sanat nedir, sanatı doğası nedir, sanat nasıl yapılır, sanatçı nasıl yaşar
ya da andy warhol ve john giorno nasıl yaşadılar, yeraltı edebiyatının önemli isimleri nasıl bir araya geldiler, sanatlarını nasıl yaptılar, onların yaptıklarına sanat denilebilir mi, yeraltı edebiyatının önemi nasıl bilinebilir
uzun yıllara yayılmış bir dönemin de bir sanatçılar topluluğunun bir araya geldiği bir alanlar listesi gibi bu kitap; üstüne üstlük gerçek isimleri ciddiyetsizce anlatıyor ve o isimlerin doğasına uygun olduğunu düşündüğüm cümleleri kullanıyor. kimin kim olduğu önemsiz, küçük araştırmalarla kimlikleri ortaya çıkabilecek gerçek insanların hayatları.
ya da günümüz sanatı üzerine yapılmış keyifli bir inceleme
ya da andy warhol ve john giorno nasıl yaşadılar, yeraltı edebiyatının önemli isimleri nasıl bir araya geldiler, sanatlarını nasıl yaptılar, onların yaptıklarına sanat denilebilir mi, yeraltı edebiyatının önemi nasıl bilinebilir
uzun yıllara yayılmış bir dönemin de bir sanatçılar topluluğunun bir araya geldiği bir alanlar listesi gibi bu kitap; üstüne üstlük gerçek isimleri ciddiyetsizce anlatıyor ve o isimlerin doğasına uygun olduğunu düşündüğüm cümleleri kullanıyor. kimin kim olduğu önemsiz, küçük araştırmalarla kimlikleri ortaya çıkabilecek gerçek insanların hayatları.
ya da günümüz sanatı üzerine yapılmış keyifli bir inceleme
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November 8, 2023Dul Bayan Basquiat’nın ardından elime geçmesi tatlı bir tesadüf oldu. Yine New York yine bohem figürler. Basquiat’nın en yakın arkadaşlarından Andy Warhol ve Warhol’un sevgilisi Jean Giorno başroldeler bu defa. Kitap kısa bölümlerle hayatlarından birkaç dönemi anlatıyor. Sevgili oldukları ve Warhol’un Sleep’i yaptığı dönem ağırlıkta. Transgresyonel kurgu ile gerçeği birleştirmiş yazar. Türün yazarlarının sıklıkla başvurduğu bir yöntem. Okurken sıkılmadım ama büyük bir okuma keyfi sunduğunu söyleyemeyeceğim. Yalnızca Warhol’un sinemayla alay ettiğini düşündüğüm filmlerinden birinin yapım sürecinin ardındaki hikayeyi okumak eğlenceliydi.
September 21, 2017
Çok uzun zamandır ve çokça üstüne düşündüğüm toplumla alakalı argümanım var ve beklemediğim bir şekilde bu kitapta bu argümanı destekleyecek şeyler bulmak beni şaşırttığı kadar mutlu etti. Kitaptan okuduğum ve yorumladığım kadarıyla bu 50 yıl önce de böyleydi. Bakın etkilenmek, örnek almak çok farklı bir kavramlar kesinlikle bu ayrımı gözeterek düşünüyorum kafamdaki her şeyi. Fakat günümüzde de olduğu gibi, hatta sayı git giderek artıyor, bazı insanların yaptıkları her türlü davranışı; mesela kitapta olduğu gibi yazı yazmak, yazar olmak, sanat üretmek, belki güleceksiniz yine kitapta olduğu gibi belirli bir ayakkabı giymek, gözlük takmak kendi isteklerinden veya kendileri olmaktan kaynaklanmıyor. Bunları yapıyor olmak insanlara, bunları yapmaktan daha fazla değer katıyor çünkü. Yani o gözlüğü takarak, yazı yazarak, yazar olmaya çalışarak aslında satın aldığı içinde olan veya kendi içinde karşılamak istediği değerler değil. Yapmış olmak için belirli bir yere ait olmak için belirli bir sınıftan gözükmek için belirli bir karşılık görmek için... Peki artık başka bir yere ait olmak, başka bir sınıftan gözükmek, başka bir karşılık görmek isterse insanoğlu? O eskiden değer olarak gördükleri değersizleşiyor galiba. Bir gün gözlük takmayı savunmamız gerekirse o insanlar orada olacaklar mı? Sizi bilmem ama ben insanı o kadar cömert bir varlık olarak görmüyorum. Peki bunları hakkıyla yapanlara saygısızlık değil mi bu? Onların yaptıklarını değersizleştirmek değil mi? Daha değersiz bir şekilde geride bırakmak değil mi? Hatta ortada değer falan bırakmamak desem… Korkarım hep böyle giderse gözlük takmayı savunmamız gerektiğinde yanımızda kimseyi bulamayacağız. Ve evet ben bu kitaptan bunu anladım.
July 21, 2023
Andy Warhol hakkında bilinmeyenler
November 21, 2014
I won this book as part of the Goodreads First-Read program.
This book is more of a novella at 111 pages than a novel. Cyrille Martinez gives the reader a look at the relationship between Andy Warhol and his lover/friend John Giorno.
Taking place in the early 1960s we get a satirical, somewhat cynical, look at the arts community in New York, New York.We are shown the building of the "Writers Quarter" where those who do not write are excluded. Yet, because of the exclusive nature of the community the rent and costs increase and the writers are driven out. Cyrille also exposes the casual nature of gay sex at this time. Although not overly graphic the depictions of gay sex may make some readers uncomfortable.
The novella revolves around the poet John Giorno who rarely writes poetry because he sleeps so much His constant unemployment allows for this need to sleep. Although at one time a rising star he fails to reach his potential. Andy, is of course, a pop icon and the book looks at the creation, in 1963, of Warhol's film sleep. A 5 1/5 hour "anti-film" of John Giorno sleeping. The book, by the nature of a film like sleep, shows the pretentiousness of the art community. Whether intentional or not.
This short book has a crisp, witty, snappy style of writing. A very literary type of writing, it is well done and is a very interesting read. I give kudos to Mr. Martinez's writing style and a quick, interesting voyeuristic look into the live of to of the early pop art icons in early 60s America. A true biography this is not. Just a slice of two literary lives.
This book is more of a novella at 111 pages than a novel. Cyrille Martinez gives the reader a look at the relationship between Andy Warhol and his lover/friend John Giorno.
Taking place in the early 1960s we get a satirical, somewhat cynical, look at the arts community in New York, New York.We are shown the building of the "Writers Quarter" where those who do not write are excluded. Yet, because of the exclusive nature of the community the rent and costs increase and the writers are driven out. Cyrille also exposes the casual nature of gay sex at this time. Although not overly graphic the depictions of gay sex may make some readers uncomfortable.
The novella revolves around the poet John Giorno who rarely writes poetry because he sleeps so much His constant unemployment allows for this need to sleep. Although at one time a rising star he fails to reach his potential. Andy, is of course, a pop icon and the book looks at the creation, in 1963, of Warhol's film sleep. A 5 1/5 hour "anti-film" of John Giorno sleeping. The book, by the nature of a film like sleep, shows the pretentiousness of the art community. Whether intentional or not.
This short book has a crisp, witty, snappy style of writing. A very literary type of writing, it is well done and is a very interesting read. I give kudos to Mr. Martinez's writing style and a quick, interesting voyeuristic look into the live of to of the early pop art icons in early 60s America. A true biography this is not. Just a slice of two literary lives.
October 31, 2019
(Review first published in Shelf Awareness)
In 1963, Andy Warhol filmed his close friend John Giorno sleeping, and made it into a 321-minute film titled Sleep. The Sleepworker, Cyrille Martinez's second novel (and first to be translated into English), explores the story behind this art project. He creates a humorous fictional account of how two men, called simply Andy and John, met through mutual friends and came to create an experimental film in the great fictional city "New York New York."
A satire of the real New York City, The Sleepworker opens with an examination of this mythos-drenched metropolis, alive with possibility. In a narrative voice that is both playful and snarky, Martinez introduces the city as a place where people seek acceptance into high society. Unemployed and uninterested in having a job, Andy and John do not fit into a culture that values work and business success. Readers are invited to share in the narrator's amusement as the protagonists pursue creative paths and try to establish themselves in a city that doesn't want them. Constricted by the expectations of New York New York, John and Andy struggle to strike a balance between being authentic artists and finding recognition for their art.
The Sleepworker is a tribute to a place and time that bred great people and events, as well as a humorous critique of a city that dreams of its past from a stagnating present. Whether readers know the relationship between Andy Warhol and John Giorno or are completely new to this piece of history, Martinez's book will enthrall.
In 1963, Andy Warhol filmed his close friend John Giorno sleeping, and made it into a 321-minute film titled Sleep. The Sleepworker, Cyrille Martinez's second novel (and first to be translated into English), explores the story behind this art project. He creates a humorous fictional account of how two men, called simply Andy and John, met through mutual friends and came to create an experimental film in the great fictional city "New York New York."
A satire of the real New York City, The Sleepworker opens with an examination of this mythos-drenched metropolis, alive with possibility. In a narrative voice that is both playful and snarky, Martinez introduces the city as a place where people seek acceptance into high society. Unemployed and uninterested in having a job, Andy and John do not fit into a culture that values work and business success. Readers are invited to share in the narrator's amusement as the protagonists pursue creative paths and try to establish themselves in a city that doesn't want them. Constricted by the expectations of New York New York, John and Andy struggle to strike a balance between being authentic artists and finding recognition for their art.
The Sleepworker is a tribute to a place and time that bred great people and events, as well as a humorous critique of a city that dreams of its past from a stagnating present. Whether readers know the relationship between Andy Warhol and John Giorno or are completely new to this piece of history, Martinez's book will enthrall.
January 5, 2018
This was an interesting read. I picked this up on a whim because I was intrigued by the cover and the mention of Andy Warhol. What I learned, though, was that I am not the reader for this book. As much as I liked reading this one, The Sleepworker is a book about artists for artists in a time in New York that now exists outside of Manhattan. There is a lot of word play, with much look-at-me from Martinez. A small one with an equally small audience.
August 13, 2021
New York'taki sanat camiasına dair güzel bir eleştiri sunuyor. Yearltı Edebiyatı'nın iyi bir üyesi.
November 4, 2014
Anyone who has had the misfortune of encountering a culture snob, can appreciate the honestly and humour this translation has to offer.
It simultaneously pokes fun at itself and some how still shows the importance of art.
It simultaneously pokes fun at itself and some how still shows the importance of art.
March 3, 2018
Perfectly translates Warhol-esque obsession with semantic saturation into the print medium. After a while, it gets a tad tedious, but a fun, frolicky, light read that never takes itself too seriously.
November 1, 2017
Review TK.
February 5, 2016
Playing off a relationship between Andy Warhol and John Giorno and their movie Sleep, this novel features a terrific omniscient narrator. Style is everything in this novel.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews