THE PRELUDE
A novel that explores the origins of creativity and the limits of identity.
The Prelude follows a recent design graduate on a European tour to witness the masterpieces he believes will guarantee him success in life if seen in person. Beginning in 1996 London, the narrative traces his journey across the continent as he confronts the clash between ideals and reality. Through his camera lens, he explores cathedrals, galleries, and city streets. Along the way, he encounters anti-Semitism, struggles with the lingering effects of abuse, and comes to recognize the limitations of an identity shaped by other designers. The adventure culminates in a two-week internship at the London studio of an iconic graphic designer. Though he fails to impress his hero, he gains insight into the essence of art and the nature of wounds.
A bildungsroman in the tradition of Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities, The Prelude merges the personal journey of W.G. Sebald’s The Emigrants with the creative awareness of Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: A Way of Being.
The Prelude is a language-driven narrative that explores the enduring search for self-discovery and artistic passion, and how moments of discovery early in life can nurture the self-awareness needed to endure experiences we all struggle to understand. Each chapter is interwoven through a nonlinear use of time, blending observations about art and design with personal reflection to create an immersive reading experience. Encounters with famous works of art are never explicitly named; instead, each piece is described in the context of an evolving internal narrative of discovery.
Our protagonist advances in his career yet remains unfulfilled. He gains experience in love but remains alone. He connects with his people but is still an outsider—all while trying to make a home in an unforgiving city. The cyclical nature of life brings him back to cities years later, questioning what, if anything, has truly changed.