Emulating Humumentism

via Robin Reagler's Big Window

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.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

via Peter's Invisible Notes

An example.

Willard Bohn in Miami

via Nick Carbo's Vispo 504

Last night the distinguished professor Willard Bohn visited our class and he gave an exciting presentation about a visual poem by the avant-garde poet from Chile Vicente Huidobro.

The Christmas Cards of bpNichol

via rob mclennan's blog

When Toronto poet bpNichol died in 1988 at the age of 44, he left a wealth of writing, living & friends behind to mourn the loss, & his life & work have spawned a whole range of admirers, imitators & celebrations, such as the current issue of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan’s grain magazine, featuring a number of the Christmas cards that bpNichol produced as annual handouts.

John M. Bennett, Visual Poet

via Bob Grumman's po-X-cetera

When I first encountered Bennett's work, I thought him not a visual poet, for I thought he merely enhanced his poems visually. Be that as it may, he is now unquestionably a major visual poet--and one, I'm pleased to see, continues to keep his texts as semantically important to his aesthetic aim as his illumagery.

Ed.: Oh, and what is "illumagery"? It's Grummanese for visual art.

On a Visual Poem by Sheila Murphy

via Bob Grumman's po-X-cetera

What really grabbed me, however, was the way the plaintive, yellow hopefulness of "won't you touch me?" drops from the story. The result is a wonderful psychological study, a genuine poem and an appealing illumage, all interacting. That is, the text is not labeling but fulfilling the design.

Two and a Half Views of the Infinity Visual Poetry Show at Harvard

via Michael Hoerman's Pornfeld

The wine. The heels. The denim. Oh my. And vispo, too. (Link to online exhibition) Jamey and Melissa produced a very nice catalog of the works, which alone made the opening worthwhile. I was surprised by how many in the Harvard exhibit I knew, whose poetry or blogs I have read. I had a chance to see another very good visual poetry exhibit at Eyedrum in Atlanta last May. This one was a little smaller in scale, but more focused.

via Roger Pao's Asian-American Poetry

All the poets' works were quite fascinating, which, in no small part, resulted from the arrangement of the curators, who spaced out the exhibits from each other as well as skillfully mixed color with black-and-white. The curators' understanding of space in the room was key.

via Nick Carbo's Carbonator

My secret asian agent for the Northeastern US who is known as Roger was able to infiltrate the opening reception of the Visual Poetry "Infinity" exhibit at Harvard Univ. I have two visual pieces, Denise has one, and our friend Shin Yu Pai has two pieces at the show.

A Collaboration of Visual Poets

via ahadada books

There's a host in "ghost" but the "h" is silent. He lived in the same building with us, on the floor above. The (g)host occupied his time by occupying the building. His hemorrhaging was indicative of everything going on upstream. The hourglass sand dripped from his brain, diffusing and lining his esophagus.