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.
.1. UNVEILWe at bLOGOS/HA HA appreciate a good unveiling.
(Ditto for
a dandy veiling.)
Above, yesterday, Theatre of the Actors of Regard at the National Gallery of Australia perform
unveil (black). This to reveal ...
2. REVEAL... to reveal the latest NGV acquisition, Henri Matisse's
Océanie, la mer (Oceania, the sea) of 1946 :
click image to enlarge
After the Reveal, the Regard.
3. REGARD
In praise of ritual
Now, the Director and the Patron perform a favorite tableau of Theatre of the Actors of Regard :
Double Regard.
Olé!
click image to enlarge
Whatsmore, if you look closely at the veil of glass that covers this object you may notice there the silhouettes of other regardists, the audience of onlookers standing behind the two formal actors.
Possibly our two lead actors can also see these ghostly presences reflected in front of them, afloat upon
Océanie, la mer.
Maybe you, too, are set to sea your own regard in all of this.
Not drowning
looking~~~
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something ...
LOGOS/HA HA
