St. Louis, MO - In the fall of 2010, digital and mixed-media artist Max Iver and award-winning filmmaker Wolfgang Lehmkuhl (Cannibal, Strumpet) sat in a gloomy diner, on their third pot of coffee, brooding over potential collaborative projects. An animated (or rather, "reanimated ") short film had failed to gain traction; a rotoscoped sci-fi feature film would take ten years to complete; and the concept for a graphic novel failed to inspire. “It was quickly realized by both of us that the projects were a bit daunting,” says Max. “They lacked the inspiring elements for both of us to proceed.” It wasn't lack of ideas that held them back, only the method of creation; one that embraced multiple artistic disciplines, engaging the mind with the power of music, cinema, painting, and the written word.
It was only when Lehmkuhl dusted off the discarded draft of what had been planned to be the follow-up to his 2009 novella, Alchemy Rum, a macabre and darkly comic collection of short fiction, that everything clicked into place. "It was originally an abandoned screenplay I was converting into my second novel," says Lehmkuhl. "It became incredibly dense; this strange mosaic of prose, transcripts, and reports from the future. It was intimidating, and it felt like it was missing something. It was too strange, too experimental to exist only as a book."
When Max and Wolfgang sat down once more in that greasy diner, Lehmkuhl pitched an ambitious project. One that would not only resurrect the lost novel, but utilize each of their diverse talents. But the entire project hinged on the written material jiving with Max's artistic sensibilities. "I sent over the first few chapters, and waited," says Wolfgang. "I refused to write another word until I had a green light, that the subject had gotten him fired up. As far as I was concerned, the book would only exist with Max on board." He didn't have long to wait.
Two days later the light was green. “I had taken a good six-month hiatus from working artistically. Reorganizing and ultimately searching for a new and inspiring project,” says Max. “After reading the first chapters I quickly realized that this would work for both of us on a multitude of levels. The content was right up my alley as far as the direction I’m shifting with my art and music.”
On January 16th, 2012 Max Iver and Wolfgang Lehmkuhl met in that same diner and began to map out the details and structure for Monochromacy, an illustrated novel comprised of surrealistic artwork, haunting and twisted prose, black and white 35mm photography, cinematic vignettes, and a six-track musical score that tells the tale of one man's isolation and loss of identity in a nightmarish bureaucratic future. “The origin of this project is the blending of what we both do best,” says Max. “I’ve already started laying down rough audio track ideas and am very excited about the direction we’re taking!”
The book is scheduled for release in late 2012 by Wetwired Media across multiple platforms and formats, and interactive events. Stay tuned to blog posts at http://www.wolfganglehmkuhl.com and http://www.maxiver.net for the latest updates, including the upcoming Facebook page.
