Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff

"I'm trying to get every man involved in art, into experimental music, or painting, or novel-writing." - Harvey Pekar

I don't normally get all that emotional when famous people die -- they're famous, they died, I'm sorry, but so did a lot of other people, so there. That's it and that's all.

But I was genuinely sad when I read the news about Harvey Pekar's passing. Like a lot of people, I learned about him through the movie that was made of his life, American Splendor, the title of which is the same as his ongoing autobiographical comic series. By the time my first viewing of that movie was over, I had a new hero. I went out and got his books because I had to see his work and learn more about this guy. Here was a man who'd spent his life making something great out of the ordinary and the every day, just creating because he wanted to create, because he had an impulse to do something original. I was in awe. Inspired.

Thanks Harvey, for everything. Rest in peace.

"It makes you feel good to know that there's other people afflicted like you."

4 comments:

kelly said...

I never saw it. Didn't know of him. Although, the picture of him makes me think I would have liked to know him. Something about that hair. I like the idea of creating just for creations sake. When I forget that, and get caught up, I am the most unhappy.

Homemaker Man said...

Your blog is the first I've heard of this. Very unfortunate. Very few folks who believe in being creative just for the sake of being creative anymore.

Didactic Pirate said...

I had no idea he had died. Very sad indeed. He was a true, wonderfully quirky talent.

sybil law said...

What a great tribute to him, though!