Yesterday we welcomed Steven Seidenberg to Lightrail Studios to discuss his brilliant new book Itch (RAW ArT PRESS 2014). Steven's book of both philosophy and narrative questions how one grasps the experience of being in the now, in the body; how language might endeavor to grasp being without the perhaps inevitable gap between words and experience. The 'I' ponders this dilemma from a place of experiencing the itch. Itch is comprised of lyrical vignettes in paragraph form, which inspired some of us to read out loud or while walking. Steven talked about his work in relevance to other philosophical traditions; how the attempt to work out a solution can then create a new philosophical question. The 'I' is continually grappling with his own 'failure' to capture what is being sought. At the same time, the itch provides an experience that is embodied and which does not require the mediator of language. Like other philosophical works, Itch employs words in very specific ways that manifest particular meanings within the context of the larger work. Since the book uses an itch as its launching point, the position and the role of the body is inherent throughout; while there is thought, there is no thought without the senses.
Keep your eye out for Steven's forthcoming chapbook, Null Set (Spooky Actions Books), from which he read in the last few minutes of the interview.
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Awesome interview!
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