Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0002181, Sat, 14 Jun 1997 08:32:22 -0700

Subject
Re: art, science & "Jurassic Park (fwd)
Date
Body
To: NABOKV-L@UCSBVM.ucsb.edu
Subject: Re: science & art

From: Earl Sampson <esampson@cu.campus.mci.net>
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>Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 15:17:53 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Galya Diment <galya@u.washington.edu>
>
> Samson: And this last item is not a mention of Nabokov, but a statement
>that all
>of us will immediately associate with VN: in a local publication's
>interview with the controversial paleontologist and dinosaur expert (and
>consultant on JURASSIC PARK) Robert Bakker, Bakker is quoted as saying
>"Artists can see the world more clearly than scientists. Art is
>broadening and science, if you're not careful,can be narrowing. The best
>artists are scientists."
>
>Earl Sampson
>Boulder CO
>----------------------------------------------
>DIMENT: I do hope Bakker does not consider JURASSIC PARK
>"art"! That would severely compromise an otherwise fine sentiment...
>
>Galya Diment
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Sampson:
Diment's response gave me a chuckle, but also sent me back to the article
to see if it in fact indicates whether Bakker considers JURASSIC PARK art,
and my conclusion is--inconclusive. The preceding text suggests that
implicit in his comments on dinosaur movies (JP and the
original--1925--LOST WORLD) was the assumption that movies are an art form,
but beyond that there is no indication of his opinion of the "artistic"
value of JURASSIC PARK. Anyway, the re-reading left me with the suspicion
that perhaps Bakker's thinking isn't as congruent with VN's as it seemed at
first glance.