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.


21 May 2014

Half a proposition :


It's an overcast Saturday in Melbourne. 

By invitation, we arrive at the Carlton Football Ground, each in our own way to play a part in Raafat Ishak's filming of Half a proposition for a banner march and a black cube hot air balloon.


       
Raaf and your correspondent are no strangers to AFL footy and had planned (before the Half A Proposition schedule became too full) to attend last night's game between the Bombers and the Sydney Swans. 

However, for many of those at Half A Proposition this was their first visit to an AFL arena.

So, let the game begin.
      
        
Many thoughts amidst the fun. Observing Raff's players by their physical effort and good humour keep these two breath-filled cubes afloat in this decommissioned football theatre, memories over-lapped of the recently deceased Melbourne identity, Keith Dunstan. 

Journalist and general bon-vivant, in 1967 Dunstan founded his alternative AFL : Anti-Football League. Their logo depicts a football that will not bounce.

                                        
Dunstan was very theatrical in his promotion of alternatives (including cycling) to the Melbourne football obsession. In 1972, he staged his own AFL counter-ritual at the holy of holies, the MCG :
      
Leaving the ground after Half a proposition... your correspondent noticed on the Wall of Legends a large number 2o above the name Geoff Southby. Inducted in 2000 into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and the Carlton Football Club Hall of Fame, in 2013 Geoff's CFC status was further elevated to that of Legend. Back in 1964, we shared a school desk together...
             

       
Below, as on-field Daruma Muralists in this 1971 pea-souper at Junction Oval, Geoff Southby (20) and Paul Shanahan (38) gaze into the void.
                     

      
 detail
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