10 September 2011

Interview: Anders Nilsen answers the Proust Questionnaire

This month saw the release of the collected Big Questions, Anders Nilsen's career-spanning work about philosophy, religion, metaphysics and the lives of birds. In honour of the publication, I sent Anders the famous "Proust Questionnaire" which asks some big questions of its own.


Here are his responses:

What is your greatest fear? 
I don't know but I have had some bad nightmares about my teeth disintegrating.

What is your current state of mind?
Caffeinated

What is your favorite occupation? 
Drawing comics. Wait, no, skateboarding

What historical figure do you most identify with?
Maybe some manuscript illuminator from the 8th century. Or Giotto.

Which living person do you most admire?
I just got a book of James Jean's sketchbooks. He's amazing. 

Who is your favorite fictional hero?
I'd like to say Jesus, but that might be offensive. Always kind of liked Daredevil.

Who are your real-life heroes?
There’s an organization here called the Innocence Project that has helped get a number of innocent men released from death row after re-examining evidence. Doesn't get much more amazing than that.

What is your most treasured possession?
My sketchbook(s).

When and where were you happiest?
Any moment while drawing a story where you realize you've really put your finger on something important and real.

What is your most obvious characteristic?
What?

What is the trait you most deplore (hate) in yourself?
Impatience, lack of compassion.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Impatience, lack of compassion.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Spending my time drawing little birds.

What is your favorite journey?
A long walk through Humboldt Park.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My bald head.

What do you consider the most over-rated virtue?
High moral character.

On what occasion do you lie?
Questionnaires.

Which words or phrases do you most over-use?
The word "interesting".

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
The size of my bank account.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
This 600 page comic book I made about these birds.

Where would you like to live?
In a house with a windmill on top and big windows that look out on something green.

What is the quality you most admire in a man?
Simplicity, patience, compassion.

What is the quality you most admire in a woman?
Simplicity, patience, compassion.

What is it you most dislike?
Spoiled milk in my coffee.

What do you value most in your friends?
Friendship.

How would you like to die?
In my own house, surrounded by people I love.

If you were to die and come back as a person or an animal, what do you think it would be?
An otter, maybe, or a giant sea turtle.

If you could choose an object to come back as, what would you choose?
A tree.

What is your motto (words you live by or that mean a lot to you)?
Simplicity, patience and compassion.

Who has been the greatest influence on you?
George Washington.

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More