NEW GLUE: Genevieve Goffman

Sometimes, I can't tell the difference between heartache and being hungry because I skipped breakfast.

1. What is the first thing that burned you?

My childhood home had a stove in the attic. I never learned why because I never asked. I would sit in the attic alone and play with the stove. Maybe I wasn't a curious child in general. Even though the glowing coils were very appealing, it took me a few years before I touched them for long enough to burn myself.

2. What do you smell like?

I try my best to smell like cherries or vanilla, but deep down inside I know jasmine would be a better choice.

3. What do you feel is more true: every crazy person is a movie, every movie is a crazy person, or neither?

I’m not totally sure what the second one means. I am one of those sappy people though who believes that everyone’s life contains enough tension and consequence to be a story.

4. How does your heart feel?

Sometimes, I can't tell the difference between heartache and being hungry because I skipped breakfast.

5. What was it like to ride in your parents’ car as a kid? What about now (or the equivalent feeling)?

I’m sure I felt good sometimes, but unfortunately I mostly remember it being hot, uncomfortable and stifling. I never learned to drive, so I am an eternal passenger.

In New York, I associate driving with stressful occasions like moving my art around or literally moving. I don’t even really relate to the joys of driving upstate or to Long Island even though, it’s normally nice once I get there. Strangely, I do love multi-day road trips. Riding the train will never stop feeling amazing. Anything is possible when you ride the train.

6. Does your misery love company?

Oh, absolutely, I love to complain.

7. What does a potato chip mean to you? What does it taste like?

I have completely neutral feelings towards potato chips.

8. What does touching feel like?

Ugh, this is a hard one. I feel like I am coming across as a bit of a negative nancy. I promise I am fun. It can feel very awkward touching people who I am not intimate with. But I am working on it. However, I am easily and happily touched by sentimental feelings.

9. Do you belong to and on Earth?

Recently I have been very interested in reading about a genre of New Age people who consider themselves to be literally lost children from other planets. These people often refer to themselves as “starseeds”. They are more attuned to the universe and for this reason are easily overwhelmed, ill-equipped to deal with the toxic modern world. They are transcendent, inherently more enlightened than us and very gifted in areas of spiritual guidance and enlightenment. I think it's fascinating because they have taken the feeling of sensitivity and alienation that many people share and transformed it into a type of narcissism where they perceive themselves as literally a higher life form than other humans.

10. What is your first memory, and what does it mean to your work?

My very first memory is from when I was three years old and I was dressed as a cat for Halloween. Animals are always the main characters in my sculptures. Escapism and fantasy are overarching themes. To me, this makes a lot of sense.