George Widener

February 8, 1962 -

Dates and numbers hold an irresistible fascination for George Widener, who from childhood has been able to effortlessly multiply in his head two times two to the power of forty, and to calculate distant past and future dates. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Widener’s childhood was marked by socially awkward behavior. At school he excelled in any subject that required rote memory, and he was well ahead of his age in reading. When he was 17 he worked as a technician for the Air Force for four years, after which he worked at various unskilled jobs and took some college classes. His nonconformist tendencies led to periods in institutions, and in his mid-twenties he was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. Widener has always excelled in drawing, but it is the combination with his extraordinary numeric ability and prodigious memory that makes his art truly unique.  His detailed technical drawings are complemented by lists of statistics and historical facts, all recalled from memory.  His magic squares and calendars refer to often disastrous events such as the sinking of the Titanic, a particular interest of his. Widener has learned to overcome his literal nature and create original work, often drawing on found pieces of paper such as table napkins.  ¹