bLOGOS/HA HA: January 2011

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.

29 January 2011

Appearing as...

O merry, the paradoxes of nothing and of appearance.

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

LOGOS/HA HA

28 January 2011

Appearing Blind

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After several recent posts using French images about blindness and culpability the matrix comes up trumps with a 2011 calendar published by the French federation for the blind and visually handicapped (FAF).

For January their as-if-blind celebrity is none other than French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, assisted by his wife, Carla Bruni. He, being blind, looks ahead; she, visually aware, regards us.

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

LOGOS/HA HA

21 January 2011

I AM ( dependent arising )

The dog's defence is I AM BLIND.

And so its master is brought before the Law. He presents to the court not so much an argument as an allegorical stance. One eye is open to the material world, the other directed inward. With one leg grounded and the other pegged, he is supported on crutches. He presents as an object of dependent arising.

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

LOGOS/HA HA

19 January 2011

Grinderman in Melbourne

Your correspondent has been attending Nick Cave performances regularly since the late 70s. Last night's Grinderman maelstrom at the Palace was as exciting and satisfying as any of the previous. If there's a better band in the world at the moment...

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

LOGOS/HA HA

18 January 2011

Masks of d-g : none so blind

Charged by the Law with liberating the freehand, the dog presents its defence.

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

LOGOS/HA HA

14 January 2011

Masks of d_g

Following on from our previous post, a portrait of the villain, as made by the court artist.

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

LOGOS/HA HA

12 January 2011

freed hand?

freehand: recent Australian drawing
Heide Museum of Modern Art
25 November 2010 - 6 March 2011

free hand?
light fingered?
une main légere?
help yourself?

stop, thief!