Monday, March 10, 2008

seeking some practical aesthetic advice


I'm working on a series of photographs accompanied by poems I have written or on a series of poems accompanied by photographs. The poems are not intended to be explications of the photos, and the photos are not intended to be maps of the poems. There are elements of commonality, and these elements are used to provide a ground for each to extend the emotional/intellectual/spiritual/physical/aesthetic content of the other.  As I work on this series, I've been thinking about their presentation. The photos are either 8 x 10 or 11 x 14 matted on 16 x 20 board.  I'll probably frame them with black metal. I like that presentation of b/w work. Right now, it's the presentation of the poems that is up in the air. I write in unlined journals with Staedtler pigment liners. I like the aesthetic and physical feel of printing on white space with dark black ink. I'm leaning toward  printing the poems in my own  hand (developed over forty years of writing).  My style is raw but legible (although my student might debate the legible part of it).  I'm seeking ideas on paper selection and presentation.  If I frame the poems, I think the literal line between the photo and poem may be too defined. Maybe not.  I'd like the paper to have some texture but be accepting of the physical act of printing by hand. If you have any suggestions or can recommend sources of info, I would appreciate hearing from you. Here's one of the poems.

our lady of the blue notes

in the church of our lady
of the blue notes
a madonna holds a small
bird in her prayer-
clasped hands
her mother rests beside her    light
with evening's grace      on the wall
icons of African
fathers    poets
of sky song
     Earth chant
     the A train's sway & chatter
     the watermelon man's green call
in the church
of our lady of the blue 
notes    bassman thrums
a fourstringed cross
drumer crashes
metal into fire
saxman conjures
breath to flesh
sleeping spirits to holler
to shout
in the church of our lady
of the blue notes
a madonna opens
her prayer
filled hands        a blues
flies                                           out


1 comment:

M said...

I'll have Ryan read this. I don't think I know enough about paper.


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65yo 43 years as a teacher 59 years in school still crazy