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.


01 July 2010

Close Image Viewer

1.
News of the death of Sigmar Polke on 10 June 2010.

Vale +
Thanks for the
deeeeeeelight Sigmar!


Sigmar Polke (mitten in der Luft)
photo: Angelika Platen
1971

Pick a card. Any card...

SIGMAR POLKE: LENS PAINTINGS
1 April 2009

Michael Werner Gallery is pleased to present Sigmar Polke: Lens Paintings, a major exhibition of new works by one of the most important artists of the post-war generation.

The Lens Paintings are a new development for an artist whose career is characterized by over 40 years of radical invention in painting. The conceptual framework of the Lens Paintings is grounded in theories set forth by Johann Zahn in his 1685 book, Oculus artificialis teledioptricus, sive telescopium (The Teledioptric Artificial Eye, or Telescope). Zahn, a monk in the Premonstrate Order, was an important figure in the development of the camera obscura, and his “teledioptric artificial eye”, a forerunner of the telephoto lens. According to Zahn, every luminous object in the universe varies in appearance depending on the viewer’s position.

read full Press Release text here

S P_The Illusionist (detail)_Close Image Viewer
screen snap digital detail from :
"The Illusionist (Lens Painting)", 2007

mixed media on fabric
86 1/2 x 118 inches
220 x 300 cm

POL 317


detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something ...

LOGOS/HA HA