Picture an artist and writer who invites us to pause, observe, and rethink our frantic digital lives—meet Jenny Odell! Born in San Francisco in 1986, Odell is a multidisciplinary visionary whose books and art challenge our obsession with productivity and technology. With a knack for blending philosophy, nature, and sharp cultural critique, she’s become a beacon for those craving meaning in a hyper-connected world.
From her Oakland base, Odell weaves stories and ideas that urge us to slow down and reconnect with our surroundings. Her work isn’t just about unplugging—it’s about rediscovering what it means to be alive. Let’s dive into her journey, from her Bay Area roots to her game-changing books and art.
The Making of Jenny Odell
Jenny Odell grew up in Cupertino, California, surrounded by the hum of Silicon Valley. A 2008 UC Berkeley English Literature graduate, she later earned an MFA in Design + Technology from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2010. Her early years were shaped by a love for observation—think birdwatching or sifting through digital artifacts like Google Maps screenshots. These habits fueled her unique career, blending art, writing, and teaching. From 2013 to 2021, she taught internet art and digital design at Stanford University, sparking conversations about technology’s grip on our lives.
Jenny Odell’s Unforgettable Works
Odell’s breakout book, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy (2019), is a New York Times bestseller that’s part manifesto, part meditation. It argues for reclaiming our attention from profit-driven tech by embracing “nothing”—think lingering in a park or studying a leaf. Critics, like Jonah Bromwich, praised its evolution from self-help to a bold critique of capitalism. It’s a call to resist the hustle and reconnect with nature and community.
In 2023, Odell released Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock, diving deeper into our warped sense of time. She contrasts “chronos” (capitalist, clock-driven time) with “kairos” (moments of transformative possibility). The book challenges productivity culture, urging readers to find freedom in nonlinear time. Her writing is poetic yet accessible, blending philosophy, history, and personal anecdotes—like her walks in Oakland’s hills.
Beyond books, Odell’s art is equally compelling. Her 2015 project, The Bureau of Suspended Objects, archived discarded items from a San Francisco dump, tracing their origins to highlight consumption’s hidden costs. In 2017, as an artist-in-residence at the Internet Archive, she created Neo-Surreal, mining 1980s computing magazines for surreal digital relics. Her work transforms the mundane into profound commentary.
Why Jenny Odell Matters
Jenny Odell’s impact lies in her ability to make us question the systems shaping our lives—technology, capitalism, time itself. Her books have inspired readers worldwide to rethink productivity and embrace slowness, earning praise from figures like Barack Obama, who named How to Do Nothing a favorite read. Her art, exhibited globally from Paris to Dubai, invites us to see the world anew, whether through a discarded object or a Google Earth snapshot. In an era of burnout and distraction, Odell’s voice is a lifeline, reminding us that attention is our most precious resource.
About Jenny Odell
- Born: 1986, San Francisco, California
- Key Works: How to Do Nothing (2019), Saving Time (2023)
- Notable Art: The Bureau of Suspended Objects (2015), Neo-Surreal (2017)
- Fun Fact: She’s an avid birdwatcher, often weaving nature into her work.
Ready to slow down and see the world through Jenny Odell’s eyes? Grab How to Do Nothing or Saving Time and dive into her revolutionary blend of art, philosophy, and resistance!