Interviews

An interview with Justin Bilicki
By Bob Laurentino

I was lucky enough to sit down with Justin Bilicki, the Founder of scanwich.com.  He was not the person I expected to meet. He was tall, unshaven and wore children’s clothing.  Scanwich was founded in 2007 although the idea dates back to 2005. That was the year when Bilicki first scanned his face with a flatbed scanner in the public library in Chicago, Illinois.   We met at a deli in Brooklyn to talk.

BOB: When and why did you ever want to scan sandwiches?

Justin: It was that moment at the public library when I started scanning, um, things. When I scanned my face it looked like I was trapped in a glass box filled with sorrow. I remember screaming, laughing and then screaming again. I stuck my tongue out in one of the scans and a piece of lettuce fell out onto the glass and added a drop of color to my colorless face. It was then I knew that food needed to be scanned.  I didn’t even eat lettuce that day.

BOB: Do you have any plans of scanning other things?

JUSTIN: No.

BOB: Do you consider yourself an artist, or, what do you consider yourself?

JUSTIN: No. I don’t consider myself.

It was at this moment when he answered a phone call from a person who he referred to as “Babs”. Ten minutes later, the conversation continues. Our sandwiches were also ready at the counter.

BOB: That was interesting. Who’s Babs?

JUSTIN: Who isn’t Babs?  Let’s talk about sandwiches.

BOB: OK. What’s your favorite sandwich?

JUSTIN: Easy. Pickle and cheese. I’m a little tentative to scan the meat sandwiches because I haven’t eaten meat for a very, very long time. I went to a bullfight as a kid and walked away with an empty feeling in my stomach. I didn’t even like the bull. I thought he was rude. So, I became a vegetarian. It’s been about 11 years or so. I’ve tried desensitizing myself by hanging out with various meats, touching meats and playing with freshly deceased animals.

BOB: Really?

JUSTIN: No.

BOB: Will you ever scan subs?

JUSTIN: Yes. Subs are sandwiches. I don’t think I’ll ever scan a pita or a cookie. Cookies bore me.  If you want, start up cookiescan.com. The URL isn’t taken.  Go for it, interviewer.

BOB: Anything you’d like to add?

JUSTIN: I think I’ve added all I can to this world. I have nothing left. Maybe one day A blog will start a sandwich about scanning. That’ll be the day.