Where is New Bohemia Going?
A far more sophisticated, far more benign entrepreneur of the avant garde is young John Brockman.
Brockman tuned in on the intermedia circuit about two years ago when he organized a series of new cinema events at the Film-Makers' Cinematheque when it began its showings on Lafayette Street in New York. Later, Brockman was hired by Lincoln Center's New York Film Festival to stage a number of special events dealing with expanded cinema.
Now Brockman has formed John Brockman Associates, a one-man company fulfilling the intermedia needs of industry and education. At the moment, he is deep in numerous highly lucrative projects. His intermedia sources are straight out of New Bohemia. These are the artists, engineers, and lightworks wizards who have already made names for themselves in the intermedia field.
By John Gruen 8.1.1967
One of Brockman's accounts is Scott Paper Company, for which he has produced a two-hour intermedia sales meeting to re-introduce a Scott product to its national sales force. He has proposed to Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art an environmental workshop project, in which major scientists and artists could explore new technology. He will be consultant on a major festival probing light and film for New York City parks. He will design and program discotheques in London and Rome.
This extraordinary array of intermedia projects is proof that the experimental activities of New Bohemia are decidedly beginning to pay. In addition, it is obvious that men like twenty-six-year old John Brockman will be the arbiters and impresarios who will guide part of industry and education into the tastes and thoughts of this youngest, boldest, and largest of present generations. ■
First published by Vogue, August 1, 1967.