ABOUT MAXINE CHERNOFF
Maxine Chernoff (1952- ) is a poet, writer, editor and publisher. Since 1986, she has edited the yearly journal New American Writing, which compiles work from authors including Barbara Guest, Kenward Elmslie and John Ashbery. She became friends with Elmslie in the early 80s, and later met Joe Brainard. Each influenced her sensibilities. Also a novelist and short-story writer, she has won multiple awards including the PIP Gertrude Stein Award in Innovative Poetry. She is currently the Chair of San Francisco State University’s Department of Creative Writing.
In 2002, Sophie Constantinou and Margaret Weir interviewed Chernoff about the collaboration and creative vitality she absorbed through Elmslie and Brainard. These moments were captured as part a series of short films catalyzed by Elmslie. His vision was to illustrate the artistic spirit of and collaborations among American writers, poets and artists from the late 50s to today.
Project Team
Director: Sophie Constantinou
Executive Producer: Kenward Elmslie
Producers: William Blackburn Weir, Margaret Weir
Editor: Tory Jeffay
Archival footage courtesy of the Prelinger Archive
Artwork courtesy of Kenward Elmslie and the Estate of Joe Brainard