David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


26 November 2009

Blot On Black

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Following on from A Troubled See, from the bLOGOS/HA HA blotter collection comes BLOT OUT BLINDNESS!


( click image to enlarge )

Of these several hundred blotters, most are white to cream, then yellow, pink, green or blue. A light ground for a dark blot.

Only two provide a black blotter. Understandably, the Dependable Photostat Service of the Commercial Reproducing Company (1933 - Phone 6428: Detroit, Michigan) is proud of its rich blacks. Black on black. The other is the verso of BLOT OUT BLINDNESS!

When this you troubled see ...


( click image to enlarge )
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something . . .

LOGOS/HA