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.
Just two weeks ago, we showed a photo here from 1976 : seven artists of the Ballarat region posing together on the staircase of the Ballarat Art Gallery. Seated at the front, with his sculptor's chisels on his lap, Bob Jenyns.
Yesterday, the sad news that Bob has died of cancer. He will be greatly missed by many, from his years in Daylesford and those in Tasmania.
photo : Merle Hathaway
Below, from that same photo session, the catalog cover of Some Recent Art from the Ballarat Region, 1976. Lorraine Jenyns is in the first chair, Bob is in the second.
... and a close-up :
Bob had five works in that exhibition. The one documented in the catalog via this photo triptych has its full poignancy today, titled STILL LIFE MUST GO ON
photo : FIAPCE
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
