Jim Clayburgh Explained

Jim Clayburgh
Birth Date:23 May 1949
Birth Place:New York, New York
Occupation:Scenic designer
Years Active:1973–present
Relatives:Jill Clayburgh (sister)

Jim Clayburgh (born 23 May 1949) is a scenic designer. He was a founding member of The Wooster Group and served as the group's resident designer from 1975 to 1994. He currently lives in Brussels, Belgium, where he founded the company JOJI INC with choreographer and dancer, and continues to design for theatre, film, dance and opera both in the USA and in Europe.

Life and career

Jim Clayburgh is the brother of actress Jill Clayburgh (1944–2010).

Clayburgh holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Claremont McKenna College, majoring in design at Pomona College, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Design from New York University School Of The Arts. In the USA he has taught masterclasses at MIT, New York Tisch School of the Arts, University of California Santa Cruz, University of Michigan, Hollins University, Simons Rock College of Art. In Europe, he has taught at St Luc's Ecole Supérieur des Arts and the International School of Brussels.

He was part of the design team for the interior renovations of two major concert halls in Brussels: La Maison de la Radio at Flagey, Ixelles,[1] and Le Palais des Beaux Arts.

In 2011 he gave a keynote address at the 41st International Theatre Festival at the Venice Biennale.

In 2013-14 he was a Visiting Artist at the American Academy of Rome.

Clayburgh was a member of the jury and gave a design workshop at Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space in 2019, and he was a key speaker at the 2015 edition.

In 2020, he collaborated with German soprano Sarah Maria Sun on texts for concerts and lyrics for songs.

Approaches to scenic design

In conversation with Matthew Maguire:

"It interests me as a designer: looking for subconscious memories of space."[2]

"The distraction of a twenty-minute light change in a concert setting seems to block the ability to listen for some. I find it a form of relaxation, a second track of active involved meditation. I'm surprised how few people shut their eyes when listening."

Awards and articles

Awards

OBIE award for Sustained Achievement (The Wooster Group) (1991).[3]

OBIE award for Sustained Achievement In Design (1982).[4]

Articles

"A Space For Oedipus" – profile in Theatre Design & Technology, by Arnold Aronson (1978).[5]

"Plywood and electronics" – profile in Theatre Crafts, by Tish Dace (1984).[6]

Design work

The Performance Group (1973–1978)

Production YearDirector Role
The Tooth of Crime1973Richard SchechnerLighting design
The Tooth of Crime 1974 Richard Schechner Set and lighting design
A Wing and a Prayer 1975 Ellen LeCompte Lighting design
Thirty Years War 1975 Richard Schechner Set and lighting design
Mother Courage and Her Children 1975 Richard Schechner Set and lighting design
The Marilyn Project 1976 Richard Schechner Set and lighting design
Oedipus 1977 Richard Schechner Set and lighting design
Cops 1978 Richard Schechner Set and lighting design

The Wooster Group (1975–1994)

ProductionYear(s)Role
Sakonnet Point1975Set co-design, lighting design
Nayatt School1978Lighting design
Rumstick Road1979Set co-design
Point Judith1980Set co-design, lighting design
3 Places in Rhode Island1981Set co-design, lighting design
Hula: a record album interpretation1981Lighting design
Routes 1&91981–85Set co-design, lighting design
North Atlantic1984–1986Set and lighting design
L.S.D. (...Just the High Points...)1986–1990Set and lighting design
Frank Dell's The Temptation of St Anthony1988–1990Set design
BRACE UP!1990–1994Set design
Fish Story 1992–1996Set design
White Homeland Commando (film)1993Art direction
Emperor Jones1993–1996Set design
The Hairy Ape1994Set design

Scenic design (other)

ProductionYearDirectorProducer
Marie and Bruce1979Wilford LeachNY Shakespeare Festival
Mary Stewart1981Des McAnuffThe Public Theatre
My Sister In This House1981Iverna LockpezSecond Stage
The Confessions of a Dopefiend1982Matthew MaguireCreation Company
Necessary Ends1983Jim MiltonNY Shakespeare Festival
Something Different1983Michael KahnSecond Stage
Miss Universal Happiness1985Richard ForemanOntological-Hysteric Theatre
North Atlantic (remix)2001Elizabeth LeCompteThe Wooster Group
BRACE UP! (2003)2003Elizabeth LeCompteThe Wooster Group
In The Wind Of Time2005Isabella SoupartKunstenfestival des arts
KOD2007Isabella SoupartKunstenfestival des arts

Lighting design (dance)

ProductionYearDirector/ChoreographerProducer
Erts1993Anne-Terese de KeersmaekerRosas
Philoctetes Variations1994Jan RitsemaKaaitheater
Solo1995Michèle Anne de MeyCompany M.A. de Mey
Cahiers1996Michèle Anne de MeyCompany M.A. de Mey
De l'air et du vent1996Pierre DroulersCompany P. Droulers
Petites formes1997Pierre DroulersCompany P. Droulers
Katamenia1997Michèle Anne de MeyCompany M.A. de Mey
Sans les voix des maîtres1997Johanne SaunierJOJI INC
Charms1997Judith VindevogelWalpurgis
Jewish Songs1997Douglas BeckerConservatoire de Paris
Multum in Parvo1998Pierre DroulersCompany P. Droulers
Soon1998Hal HartleySalzburg Theatre Festival
The Day of Heaven and Hell1998Wim VandekeybusRoyal Flemish Theatre
Choree2000Renaud de PuttersBureau des pianos
Ma2000Pierre DroulersCompany P. Droulers
Mo-ten-tion2001Istok KovacsEn Knap
Rappresentazione di Anima et di Corpo2002Pierre DroulersLa Monnaie
Apparitions2003Renard de PuttersBureau des pianos
Each To His Own2003Douglas BeckerBallet de Genève
Inoui2004Pierre DroulersCompany P. Droulers

Scenic and lighting design (1989–present)

ProductionYearDirector / ChoreographerProducerRoleNotes
Visions of Don Juan1987Matthew MaguirePepsico Summerfare FestivalSet and lighting designNYC
Nightcoil1989Matthew MaguireCreation CompanyNYC
Goose and Tom-Tom1986–90David RabeNY Shakespeare FestivalNYC
Seventy Scenes of Halloween1992Matthew MaguireCreation CompanyNYC
An Evening of Music and Video1994Kit FitzgeraldOn The BoardsSeattle
Adventures1999P. Droulers / J. ClayburghLa MonnaieBrussels
Final Scene2000JOJI INCJOJI INCDirection, set and lighting designBrussels
Landscape with four figures2001Johanne SaunierJOJI INC
It's Like2002Johanne SaunierJOJI INC
Cara Lucia2003/2007Sharon FogartyMabou MinesNYC
It's Like (installation)2004Johanne SaunierJOJI INC
Erase-E(x) parts 1–62004–2007The Wooster Group, Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, Isabella Soupart, Kurt D’Haeseleer, Georges Aperghis, Johanne Saunier JOJI INCVarious
In The Wind Of Time2005Isabella SoupartKunstenfestival des artsSet designBrussels
Mozart Choreographies2007Salva Sanchez et al.MozarteumSaltzburg
Im-Agined2007Jim ClayburghJOJI INC/STRP Festival EindhovenDirection, set and lighting designEindhoven
Lolita, an imagined opera2008Jim ClayburghGMEM Direction, set and lighting designMarseille
Walking On Rocks2008Jim ClayburghJOJI INC/Scène Nationale de CavaillonDirection, set and lighting design
Line Of Oblivion2010Jim ClayburghJOJI INCDirection, set and lighting design
Collision(s)2010Isabella SoupartMadeInBruxellesSet and lighting designBrussels
Lear, A King2010François SarhanCNN de Havre Haute Normandie / SN Chalon-sur-SaôneSet and lighting designRouen / Chalon-sur-Saône
Musée en chantier2011JOJI INCThéâtre des tanneursSet and lighting designBrussels
Modern Dance2012JOJI INCSN Chalon-sur-SaôneSet and lighting designChalon-sur-Saône
Man of La Mancha2012Sybille WilsonFestival de WallonieSet and lighting designBrussels
Le Maître des illusions2012Sybille WilsonThéâtre du parcSet and lighting designBrussels
Words2012Isabella SoupartH&B FilmsSet and lighting design(film)
SpiderNight2014EU Dance ProjectDans Centrum JetteLighting designBrussels
I Love My Family I Don't Like2014Isabella SoupartMadeInBruxellesLighting designBrussels
Steve Reich Project2014Isabella SoupartBeyond+Between asblLighting designBrussels
After Words2015Isabella SoupartMadeInBruxellesLighting designBrussels
La Digitale2015-2017Sybille WilsonMusicatreizeSet and lighting designMarseille, Paris, Bogotá
Tutti Colori2016Roxane HuilmandDans Centrum JetteLighting designBrussels
Urban Bubbles2016JOJI INCJOJI INC/Salzburg International Performing artsLighting designSaltzburg
C'est ici que le jour se lève2016Isabella SoupartThéâtre PubliqueLighting designBrussels
How To Act2017Isabella SoupartH&B FilmsLighting design(film)
La Légende du Roi Dragon2018Johanne SaunierOpéra de Lille / Opéra de BordeauxSet and lighting designLille, Bordeaux
Short Films2018Isabella SoupartH&B FilmsLighting design(film)
Faust 2.02019Sharon FogartyMabou MinesSet and lighting designNYC
Carlotta's Room2019Arturo FuentesFestival Verticé UNAMLighting design and staging adviceMexico City
Dans un train2020Eléonore LemaireJOJI INC/Corps à sonLighting designToulouse, Varron

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Vandenbreeden, Jos. Studio4 Maison de la Radio Flagey. Wangermée. Robert. Académie Royal de Belgique, CIVA. 2003. 2-930391-01-4. Belgium.
  2. Book: Trans-Global Readings: Crossing Theatrical Boundaries. Manchester University Press. 2003. 0-7190-6325-6. Svich. Cariad. 120.
  3. Web site: 91. 2020-10-01. Obie Awards. en-US.
  4. Web site: 82. 2020-10-01. Obie Awards. en-US.
  5. Aronson. Arnold. 1978. A Space For Oedipus. Theatre Design & Technology. 14 #2. 26–31.
  6. Dace. Tish. 1984. Plywood and electronics: Designer Jim Clayburgh of the Wooster Group. Theatre Crafts. 18 #2. 25–28, 54–55.