Georgina Dettmer
In this newest instalment, we sit down and have a chat with Junaid Hameed (he/him) and find out his Best of the Best.
As we always do, we want to start off hearing about your favourite piece of art of all time?
It would be "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes. The book presents life in the eyes of the intellectually disabled Charlie Gordon, as an experimental surgery transforms him into a genius. As you read the book, you begin to watch his experience of life and his view of the world change gradually as the experiment takes its effect, while still portraying Charlie as, in my opinion, a rounded and multidimensional character who is more than just his disability. I loved this book for its skilled and incredibly moving narration and the way it made me reconsider what it means to live, the value of "intelligence", and the implications of scientific research. The following extract is the opening to the book, the first of the many "Progress Reports" the novel is comprised of:
"progris riport 1 martch 3
Dr Strauss says I shoud rite down what I think and remembir and evrey thing that happins to me from now on. I dont no why but he says its importint so they will see if they can use me. I hope they use me becaus Miss Kinnian says mabye they can make me smart. I want to be smart. My name is Charlie Gordon I werk in Donners bakery where Mr Donner gives me 11 dollers a week and bred or cake if I want. I am 32 yeres old and next munth is my brithday. I tolld dr Strauss and perfesser Nemur I cant rite good but he says it dont matter he says I shud rite just like I talk and like I rite compushishens in Miss Kinnians class at the beekmin collidge centre for retarted adults where I go to lern 3 times a week on my time off. Dr. Strauss says to rite a lot evrything I think and evrything that happins to me but I cant think anymor because I have nothing to rite so I will close for today... yrs truly Charlie Gordon.”
We’re all looking for something to make us laugh at the moment, what would you recommend to lift the mood?
Bo Burnham's work, principally his two comedy-musical shows "what." and "Make Happy". For me, Bo is the definition of art holding the mirror to society, being able to create meaningful and honest art, encompassing a lot of the disillusionment of the modern youth, while still being uniquely hilarious.
Catch Bo Burnham’s ‘Make Happy’ on Netflix now.
Amazing, thank you! For anyone reading this, what is one piece of art you think we should all be consuming?
The American animated television miniseries “Over the Garden Wall”. Despite being marketed on Cartoon Network, dismissing this show would mean you miss out on something incredible. The series shares the story of two half-brothers who get lost in the woods on Halloween and their strange and fantastical misadventures as they try to make their way home. It invites you into a charmingly illustrated musical world, while clocking in at only around two hours total runtime. From the mysterious twists and turns that leave you feeling very much like a kid lost in the woods, to the whimsical songs and score that accompany each episode, the show manages to be both creepy and embody the feeling of staying inside in the warm on a cold autumn night. Essential Halloween/Michaelmas term viewing!
Is there any music you’ve been listening to you’d recommend?
I’ve recently discovered the album “Hawaii: Part II” by Miracle Musical, a project organised by the American band Tally Hall. Though Tally Hall are technically a rock band, this album truly cannot be pinned into a box, with the group describing it as the “genre of infinity, which is expressed through hologram", and others saying it features themes of outer space, ancient mysticism, tropical paradise, parallel universes, love, death, and magic. I chanced upon one of the tracks the other day and was instantly mesmerised – I just had to listen to the whole thing. To call it a mere music album would be an understatement; it is a beautiful, yet haunting, theatrical adventure of its own, with a range of styles, artists and themes that will leave you unable to predict where it will go next.
We’ve got something to listen to, make us laugh- remedies for where we’re all at presently- to conclude then, what is the most beautiful thing you have seen or watched recently?
The short video project "Dances Moving!" by Brian David Gilbert. Anyone who knows me personally knows I am a big fan of virtually everything Gilbert is involved in. This series is markedly different to all his other works, however, and it really is difficult to describe without just showing it to you. Of all the pieces of art I discuss here, this is the one I recommend the most - it is on YouTube, it comprises seven short episodes you can watch in about 20 minutes. I won't say too much because I don't want to take anything away from it, but I will add that, though it was made a few years ago and is mostly an honest and personal piece of work derived from Brian's life, I think recent times have given it an even more poignant and deeply touching meaning.
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