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.
Chris McAuliffe begins his article about 'Melbourne Now' (National Gallery of Victoria, until 23 March) with:
Phillipe de Montebello, former director of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, once remarked that museums are no longer about art, they're about visitors. Having popularised the blockbuster show, he realised that exhibitions were more about the looker than what is looked at.
'NGV exhibition shines light on the peculiar poetry of Melbourne's soul'
Chris McAuliffe /THE AGE (Melbourne)
11 December 2013
Find the balance, then slowly slowly...
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something ...
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