Art Chowder November | December, Issue 18 | Page 25

S
o what exactly is the mis-
sion of Alexander Chen; what
is his plan? “My plan,” he
chuckles wryly, “is too big.” I
am fairly certain he is aware of
his childlike innocence when
he says he wants to record all
the different cultures and cus-
toms in the world in this way.
Indeed, he has cultivated a bril-
liant beginning. But because
this deft and detailed style
takes so much time and energy,
in two decades he thinks he’s
only reached about 20 percent
of his hoped-for goal. We must
definitely concede this is a
staggering accomplishment for
one human. Still, Alexander
seems wistful.
November |December 2018
25