News on In Person 30 Poets

Update on the recent fate of In Person 30 Poets the DVD-book filmed by myself and edited by Neil Astley of Bloodaxe Books.
We had a successful presentation at the Ledbury Poetry Festival, Shropshire in July.
This is an annual festival and very much integrated into Ledbury life. Many local sponsors and volunteers and a great sense of attendance not only from poetry buffs and far-travelled folk but also a great many locals. That is always a good sign. There is an eagerly anticipated interest in the program put together by Chloe Garner.
We were fortunate enough to spend the whole week there enjoying events immensely and filming poets and having rewarding meetings. Our hosts, the Beers, were fascinating and extraordinary people dedicated to education and their community. It was stimulating meeting them and talking to them over two suppers.
The Carters who are very engaged in the Festival in different important capacities are the loveliest people I have met in a long long time. We had a memorable lunch in their garden in the sun and warmth, the one rare day this summer of eating al fresco!
We met Samuel Menashe a poet living in NYC whom we shall meet again in September. He is a wonderful man.
Since that festival we have also done a presentation in Dumfries in Scotland and were on a double bill with Moniza Alvi. She has two books out, one selected poems and a new collection called Europa. Her reading was so good. We later filmed her in Grasmere at Dove Cottage.
If In Person 30 Poets is successful as a new kind of poetry experience we shall definitely follow it up with more.
If you are curious you can go on the Bloodaxe Books website and see taster videos of the poets included. www.bloodaxebooks.com
Other events in the future can also be seen on the website but I can tell you already there will be one in Sheffield during Off the Shelf in October and another presentation at Dove Cottage in Grasmere,Cumbria also in October. I cannot remember any other events at this moment.

Rain regen regn reign rein

A wet summer and chilly nights, all over the British Isles flooding and rains. The garden is soggy. The grass is green and the country side lush.
I am very eager to have some summery days in New England soon. Swimming in ponds and in the sea, walks and reading and enjoying the breeze and the sun. Eating seafood too.
I will not be attending to DJANG while I am away so I wish you a special Full Moon and later next month an unforgettable Autumnal Equinox.

Record shop

Have you heard this record?
It comes with great recommendations from several sources.
I have yet to hear it!
Cannot wait.

Caen Musee des Beaux Arts

Annette Messager





In the castle built by William the Conqueror, which sits high above the town, there is a modern building which houses the Art Museum of Caen. It is built within the ancient walls and the juxtaposition is dramatic.
We saw an interesting exhibition of contemporaray artists responding to the work of Alberto Giacometti the day we visited Caen. For example artists like Anthony Gormley, Annette Messager, Louise Bourgeois and Fischli Weiss were part of the show.
I particularly responded to Messagers' installation in a separate space; Deplaisir/ Plaisir.
They also have a reasonable collection but not quite as extraornirary as the one at Rouen.

Caen

We also visited Caen which has an overwhelming WW2 history and ever presence through war memorials and huge cemeteries. In the postcard racks around town you find pictures of a ruinous Caen during the war.

Tracey Emin

Talk of the town and country is of the 20 year retrospective of Tracey Emin's work at the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh. It just opened and although she represented the UK at the Venice Biennale last year in 2007 this is her first retrospective in Britain.
I have not yet been to see the show/exhibition but I will when I go to Edinburgh next because I actually want to go and see the Richard Hamilton show that is up and the new Ingleby Gallery space. 3 birds in one trip and also of course I don't want to miss the Fruitmarket Gallery which cannot be missed. There is usually something good on there too.
Tracey Emin has a reputation as being a controversial artist and being the bad girl of contemporary British art etc. I see someone who wants attention desperately and at any price.
Many people do know her name and some of her so called seminal pieces like Her Bed that was up for the Turner Prize many moons ago. She is often in the press/media and in this way she has accomplished fame for however long it lasts but as for the work and it lasting. That is the question. Is it very much of the zeitgeist? Yes I would say so. YBA is about the zeitgeist.
Personally the work that I respond to is that of Louise Bourgeois for example if I want to see art about personal history and psychology. Annette Messager or Christian Boltanski. Sophie Calle is also interesting but the artists I have mentioned here are of older generations than Tracey Emin and so am I.
The zeitgeist issue then becomes apparent.
I will post images of some of her work here and please write any responses you may have!

Les enerves de Jumieges

This painting we found in the Musee des Beaux Arts in Rouen painted in 1880 based on a story. Enerves means irritated or angry.