Jim Clayburgh (born May 23, 1949) is an American scenic designer. He was a founding member of The Wooster Group and served as the group's resident designer from 1975 to 1994. He currently lives in Brussels, Belgium, where he founded the company JOJI INC with choreographer and dancer , and continues to design for theatre, film, dance and opera both in the USA and in Europe.
Life and career Jim Clayburgh is the brother of actress Jill Clayburgh (1944–2010).
Clayburgh holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Claremont McKenna College, majoring in design at Pomona College, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Design from New York University School Of The Arts. In the USA he has taught masterclasses at MIT, New York Tisch School of the Arts, University of California Santa Cruz, University of Michigan, Hollins University, Simons Rock College of Art. In Europe, he has taught at St Luc's Ecole Supérieur des Arts and the International School of Brussels.
He was part of the design team for the interior renovations of two major concert halls in Brussels: La Maison de la Radio at Flagey, Ixelles, and Le Palais des Beaux Arts.
In 2011 he gave a keynote address at the 41st International Theatre Festival at the Venice Biennale.
In 2013–14 he was a Visiting Artist at the American Academy of Rome.
Clayburgh was a member of the jury and gave a design workshop at Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space in 2019, and he was a key speaker at the 2015 edition.
In 2020, he collaborated with German soprano Sarah Maria Sun on texts for concerts and lyrics for songs.
Approaches to scenic design In conversation with Matthew Maguire:
"It interests me as a designer: looking for subconscious memories of space."
"The distraction of a twenty-minute light change in a concert setting seems to block the ability to listen for some. I find it a form of relaxation, a second track of active involved meditation. I'm surprised how few people shut their eyes when listening."
Awards and articles
Awards OBIE award for Sustained Achievement (The Wooster Group) (1991).
OBIE award for Sustained Achievement In Design (1982).
Articles "A Space For Oedipus" – profile in Theatre Design & Technology, by Arnold Aronson (1978).
"Plywood and electronics" – profile in Theatre Crafts, by Tish Dace (1984).
Design work
The Performance Group (1973–1978) Production YearDirector Role The Tooth of Crime1973Richard SchechnerLighting designThe Tooth of Crime 1974 Richard Schechner Set and lighting designA Wing and a Prayer 1975 Ellen LeCompte Lighting designThirty Years War 1975 Richard Schechner Set and lighting designMother Courage and Her Children 1975 Richard Schechner Set and lighting designThe Marilyn Project 1976 Richard Schechner Set and lighting designOedipus 1977 Richard Schechner Set and lighting designCops 1978 Richard Schechner Set and lighting design
The Wooster Group (1975–1994) Co- design with Elizabeth Lecompte ProductionYear(s)RoleSakonnet Point1975Set co-design, Lighting designNayatt School1978Lighting designRumstick Road1979Set co-design, lighting designPoint Judith1980Set co-design, lighting design3 Places in Rhode Island1981Set co-design, lighting designHula: a record album interpretation1981Lighting designRoutes 1&91981–85Set co-design, lighting designNorth Atlantic1984–1986Set and lighting designL.S.D. (...Just the High Points...)1986–1990Set and lighting designFrank Dell's The Temptation of St Anthony1988–1990Set designBRACE UP!1990–1994Set designFish Story 1992–1996Set designWhite Homeland Commando (film)1993Art directionEmperor Jones1993–1996Set designThe Hairy Ape1994Set design
Scenic design (other) ProductionYearDirectorProducerMarie and Bruce1979Wilford LeachNY Shakespeare FestivalMary Stewart1981Des McAnuffThe Public TheatreMy Sister In This House1981Iverna LockpezSecond StageThe Confessions of a Dopefiend1982Matthew MaguireCreation CompanyNecessary Ends1983Jim MiltonNY Shakespeare FestivalSomething Different1983Michael KahnSecond StageMiss Universal Happiness1985Richard ForemanOntological-Hysteric TheatreNorth Atlantic (remix)2001Elizabeth LeCompteThe Wooster GroupBRACE UP! (2003)2003Elizabeth LeCompteThe Wooster GroupIn The Wind Of Time2005Isabella SoupartKunstenfestival des artsKOD2007Isabella SoupartKunstenfestival des arts
Lighting design (dance) Scenic and lighting design (1987–present) ProductionYearDirector / ChoreographerProducerRoleNotesVisions of Don Juan1987Matthew MaguirePepsico Summerfare FestivalSet and lighting designNYCNightcoil1989Matthew MaguireCreation CompanySet and lighting designNYCGoose and Tom-Tom1986–90David RabeNY Shakespeare FestivalNYCSeventy Scenes of Halloween1992Matthew MaguireCreation CompanySet and lighting designNYCAn Evening of Music and Video1994Kit FitzgeraldOn The BoardsSeattleAdventures1999P. Droulers / J. ClayburghLa MonnaieDirection, set and lighting designBrusselsFinal Scene2000JOJI INCJOJI INCDirection, set and lighting designBrusselsLandscape with four figures2001Johanne SaunierJOJI INCIt's Like2002Johanne SaunierJOJI INCSet and lighting designCara Lucia2003/2007Sharon FogartyMabou MinesSet and lighting designNYCIt's Like (installation)2004Johanne SaunierJOJI INCSet and lighting designErase-E(x) parts 1–62004–2007The Wooster Group, Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, Isabella Soupart, Kurt D’Haeseleer, Georges Aperghis, Johanne Saunier JOJI INCSet and lighting designVariousIn The Wind Of Time2005Isabella SoupartKunstenfestival des artsSet designBrusselsMozart Choreographies2007Salva Sanchez et al.MozarteumLighting DesignSaltzburgIm-Agined2007Jim ClayburghJOJI INC/STRP Festival EindhovenDirection, set and lighting designEindhovenKiss of Death2007Isabella SoupartKunstenfestival des artsSet DesignLolita, an imagined opera2008Jim ClayburghJoji Inc and GMEM (Marseille) Direction, set and lighting designMarseille, Peak Performances, NYC Walking On Rocks2008Jim ClayburghJOJI INC/Scène Nationale de CavaillonDirection, set and lighting designCavaillon, FranceLine Of Oblivion2010Jim ClayburghJOJI INCDirection, set and lighting designBrusselsCollision(s)2010Isabella SoupartMadeInBruxellesSet and lighting designBrusselsLear, A King2010François SarhanCNN de Havre Haute Normandie / SN Chalon-sur-SaôneSet and lighting designRouen / Chalon-sur-SaôneMusée en Chantier2011JOJI INCThéâtre des TanneursSet and lighting designBrusselsModern Dance2012JOJI INCSN Chalon-sur-SaôneSet and lighting designChalon-sur-Saône, FranceMan of La Mancha2012Sybille WilsonFestival de WallonieSet and lighting designBrusselsLe Maître des illusions2012Sybille WilsonThéâtre du parcSet and lighting designBrusselsWords2012Isabella SoupartH&B FilmsSet and lighting design(film)SpiderNight2014EU Dance ProjectDans Centrum JetteLighting designBrusselsI Love My Family I Don't Like2014Isabella SoupartMadeInBruxellesLighting designBrusselsSteve Reich Project2014Isabella SoupartBeyond+Between asblLighting designBrusselsAfter Words2015Isabella SoupartMadeInBruxellesLighting designBrusselsLa Digitale2015–2017Sybille WilsonMusicatreizeSet and lighting designMarseille, Paris, BogotáTutti Colori2016Roxane HuilmandDans Centrum JetteLighting designBrusselsUrban Bubbles2016JOJI INCJOJI INC/Salzburg International Performing artsLighting designSaltzburgC'est ici que le jour se lève2016Isabella SoupartThéâtre PubliqueLighting designBrusselsHow To Act2017Isabella SoupartH&B FilmsLighting design(film)La Légende du Roi Dragon2018Johanne SaunierOpéra de Lille / Opéra de BordeauxSet and lighting designLille, BordeauxShort Films2018Isabella SoupartH&B FilmsLighting design(film)Faust 2.02019Sharon FogartyMabou MinesSet and lighting designNYCCarlotta's Room2019Arturo FuentesFestival Verticé UNAMLighting design and staging adviceMexico CitySteve Reich Project2019Isabella SoupartArs Musica (BE) • Les Brigittines (BE)LightingBrussels, EdinburghDans un train2020Eléonore LemaireJOJI INC/Corps à sonLighting designToulouse, Voiron, FranceLa Legende du Roi Dragon2019Johanne SaunierOpera de Lille, Opera de BordeauxSet and lighting designLille, Bordeaux, FranceSilence :Electro Pop Ballet2022Isabella SoupartMadeInBruxellesLighting Brussels
References
External links Joji inc. website