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.


06 November 2012

Expert Opinion

.
Bet / Better / Boast

We don't know much about The Spring Racing Carnival
but we know what we like.

I like the sound of the name ("Smart Punter") of that horse
I like the name ("Smart Punter") of that horse
I like the black/brown/white/spotted horse
I like the jockey's colours for that horse 
I like the look of that local horse 
I like the trainer of that horse
I like the odds on that horse
I like the French horse
I like the big horse

Bet / Better / Bust
     

   
We don't know much about Art
but we know what we like.
 
Today, Melbourne Cup Day 2012, we thought we might turn the tables (into tableaux). Get the word straight from the horse's mouth, as they say. To do this, we transported a selection of Cup Prospects to view a number of putative art works en plain air. 

In the scene above, it looks as if it might be the artist-critic Jeff Makin appearing somewhat anxious as he awaits the critic's judgement.
  

      
Meanwhile, back at Flemington, how did all the experts fare?
  
Green Moon stuns stellar Melbourne Cup field
Shocking a field of foreign stars, Green Moon, trained by Robert Hickmott, won the two-mile classic by a length from Fiorente and Jakkalberry, with Kelinni fourth.

Green Moon started at $20. Fiorente started at $31 and was the third Cup runner-up for trainer Gai Waterhouse. The unfancied Jakkalberry started at $81

Stuart Rintoul : The Australian 
6 November 5:42PM

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

 LOGOS/HA HA