On U B U W E B, you can access short Fluxus films from the 60s, such as Zen for Film by Nam June Paik, Word Movie by Paul Sharits, and Eye Blink by Yoko Ono. These are cool. Poem-cool. Starting in the early sixties, Fluxus (which means "to flow") followed in the footsteps of… Continue reading Fluxus
Category: Art
Altered
In a recent writing workshop, we did an altered page project based on A Humument by British artist Tom Phillips. Phillips began in the late 60s "treating" a Victorian novel, page by page. Apparently the project continued for 30 years. We did a similar exercise. For a base page, I gave three choices: a page… Continue reading Altered
Creatives, Unite!
This story by Holland Carter about collaborative art appeared in the New York Times a year ago. As a writer who never really got over being born too late to be a part of Black Mountain College, I keep returning to this story. Although the 9/11 framework of the story may date it a little,… Continue reading Creatives, Unite!
Sleepless Nights
I wrote a poem called that years ago. The subtitle (I rarely use those) is "Reading Nijinski’s Diaries." I first read them when I was at Iowa. It’s been many years since I’ve revisited them though. Tonight I couldn’t sleep and the baby is only responsible for the first hour. The rest, I must take… Continue reading Sleepless Nights
Eyes of Laura
Like a detective, Laura watches as she works at the Vancouver Art Museum. Here’s a description of her project from rhizome.org: NET ART NEWS February 11, 2005 — The conceit is half Blair Witch Project, half Paul Auster; ‘Laura,’ an artist working as guard at the Vancouver Art Gallery, makes art out of allowing visitors… Continue reading Eyes of Laura
Art Shanties on Ice
The “Art Shanty Project” is a collection of ice houses created with art in mind. My friend Meredith sent me this story from Minnesota Public Radio. Jonas Lindberg’s ice shack has a white roof, pale blue transparent plastic walls, and simple wooden benches. The frozen lake serves as the floor – he’s swept it clean… Continue reading Art Shanties on Ice
Škart, Art Meets the Everyday
Škart’s project Sadness took the form of a weekly book of poems created for the residents of Belgrade during the war-torn early ’90s. The books were designed to mimic the look of lost-and-found tags, and Škart distributed them in various public places like railway stations and food markets as small healing gestures in a devastated… Continue reading Škart, Art Meets the Everyday
The Blur of Days
Another cloudy, blurry day, cold by Houston standards. To post this painting by Tanguy is a bald-faced attempt to romanticize the weather. But then what is weather for, if not for that? Enjoyed chatting with poet-friend Lauren over lunch. She talked a lot about couplets, a form that she’s never used in a poem, but… Continue reading The Blur of Days
WITSLink
As I’ve mentioned before, I work for Writers in the Schools (WITS). In addition to the obvious mission of teaching writing to kids in schools, we also provide outreach to similar programs across the country. Tomorrow we begin our 4th conclave in Houston for the leaders of seven different creative writing programs that work primarily… Continue reading WITSLink
Born
Have you checked out the cool new art & poetry collaborative projects at born magazine yet? Their winter issue is on their web site now. The poets featured include Michele Glazer and Bob Hicok.
The Velocity of Light
Write a title for this photo. {Again, photo courtesy of Christine at eleventwentyseven.}
Rapid Transit
Can you think of a work of art or writing that embodies VELOCITY in a particularly powerful way?
The Question: Inspiration
Is there a visual artist whose work inspires you? I think that for me the love of art and literature are very much intertwined. Which is not to say that I write directly about paintings or sculptures–I don’t usually do that–but I am transported by art just as I am by poetry. I tend to… Continue reading The Question: Inspiration
Sans Soleil
Question: What film seems most like a poem to you? My answer to this question is Sans Soleil by Chris Marker. This 1982 film is categorized as a documentary, but it’s not really typical of the form. The female narrator refers constantly to the letters and diary of a man who traveled all over the… Continue reading Sans Soleil
In a Dark Time
Disappointed about the election results this week and still feeling it. Here’s "In a Dark Time" by Roethke: In a dark time, the eye begins to see, I meet my shadow in the deepening shade; I hear my echo in the echoing wood– A lord of nature weeping to a tree. I live between the… Continue reading In a Dark Time
Robin Reagler 