Jack Kerouac & Paul Rand
At first glance one might presume they are complete opposites. One pertained to a Jewish orthodox up brining in the densely populated city of Brooklyn, New York, while the other pertained to a French-Canadian catholic upbringing in the industrial town of Lowell, Massachusetts. One of their greatest opposing qualities lies within their day to day lifestyle. Rand would wake up early and was usually the first one in the office every morning while Kerouac would go about as he pleased, working random jobs here and there, hitchhiking through America. Rand’s life was structured, while Kerouac’s was nomadic.
However they were both overtly passionate about what they did. Rand would spend hours in Room 313, the main branch of the New York Public Library taking in the rich collection of art books, European design annuals, and print/type journals. Kerouac would indulge in the literary works of Walt Whitman, James Joyce, Thorsten Veblen, and Ernest Hemingway to name a few. Both looked into the past, and introduced it into their work and created something unique. Despite these similarities, when placed in the same room, they're a beautiful oxymoron. Heavily induced by their surroundings and spontaneous in their own way.
Mentor: Clive Piercy