VisPo 504

my vispo star grad students at AWP atlanta 2007

2007-03-13T10:48:00.000-04:00

visual poetry workshop in France!

2006-11-13T16:49:00.000-05:00

The VCCA is pleased to offer workshops for writers at our beautiful new facility in Auvillar, a tiny unspoiled village in the south of France located between Toulouse and Bordeaux, three hours north of Barcelona. Led by award-winning writers, these workshops are geared toward all levels of writers, will feature much individual attention, and will draw upon the charm and beauty of this quaint village.

POETRY WORKSHOP WITH DENISE DUHAMEL & NICK CARBÓ, June 21-27, 2007

This intensive workshop provides both group and individual sessions and a combination of discussion, writing prompts and workshop.

The cost of the workshop is $2195 and includes accommodations at a charming local hotel, all meals, introductions to the region and walking tours of Auvillar.

To register, please visit:
http://www.vcca.com/france_workshops.html

A stopover on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Auvillar has a well-earned tradition of hospitality. Designated as one of France's "100 Most Beautiful Villages," Auvillar is set on the broad green Garonne River, with clearly visible remnants of ancient hilltop fortifications, monuments that go back centuries, nearby medieval cathedrals and museums to explore. The weekly farmer’s market is a highlight, and there are also a butcher shop, bakery, pharmacy, tabac, post office and public email access, plus six eateries, ranging from a pizzeria to a four-star restaurant. The region is noted for medieval villages, Faïence pottery, troubadour singing, cassoulet, foie gras, strawberries, exquisite wines and tantalizing cheeses.

by joan

2006-04-10T12:30:00.000-04:00

by joan, originally uploaded by carbonator.

here we have joan's "divine" visual poem. that's her on the crucifix. text is also by joan.

by yasbel

2006-04-10T12:28:00.000-04:00

by yasbel, originally uploaded by carbonator.

spinning poem cover is collaged with Dali's painting.

yasbel2

2006-04-10T12:27:00.000-04:00

yasbel2, originally uploaded by carbonator.

yasbel wrote a spinning poem in the tradition of Duchamp.

willa 2

2006-04-10T12:25:00.000-04:00

willa 2, originally uploaded by carbonator.

willa created an earring poem. superb!

aaron blowing

2006-04-10T12:23:00.000-04:00

aaron blowing, originally uploaded by carbonator.

my student with an interactive visual poem

byjoan1

2006-03-06T23:55:00.000-05:00

byjoan1, originally uploaded by carbonator.

the second panel of joan's diptic are pictures of her dogma nude and half a doll. there are sweet grapes to be had around her thighs.

byjoan2

2006-03-06T23:52:00.000-05:00

byjoan2, originally uploaded by carbonator.

joan's piece comes in two panels. this one is made from torn text from the book of mormon with a hot red chilli pepper about to penetrate the center.

byyasbel

2006-03-06T23:49:00.000-05:00

byyasbel, originally uploaded by carbonator.

yasbel's poem is written on a pair of clean victoria's secret panties.

byHalley

2006-03-06T23:47:00.000-05:00

byHalley, originally uploaded by carbonator.

Halley's piece is the cloth hidden inside the teddy bear.

bycyd

2006-02-12T17:50:00.000-05:00

bycyd, originally uploaded by carbonator.

cyd's piece is text collaged on top of a flip flop sandal. the poem centers on definitions of the term "filipina." the fetishized filipina (by whom? mostly icky western men!).

by maya may

2006-02-11T23:00:00.000-05:00

by maya may, originally uploaded by carbonator.

maya's piece is text over a photo she took in a buenos aires (argentina) subway. i like the grainy movement in the image.

bykate

2006-02-10T22:54:00.000-05:00

bykate, originally uploaded by carbonator.

kate's piece is framed in two panels. the left is a painting by her with collaged text. the right is satin and a loped baby jesus hand over flowers.

bymeredith

2006-02-10T22:51:00.000-05:00

bymeredith, originally uploaded by carbonator.

meredith's poem is called "spinal tap." see poem inside syringe. in our class we take our poems directly up the spine! straight!

bymarlon

2006-02-10T22:47:00.000-05:00

bymarlon, originally uploaded by carbonator.

marlon made a true 3-d sudokku cube. he calls them surrdoku cubes with a nod to the surrealists. you solve the 3-d puzzle and the numbers correspond to the lines of the poem.

wila,detail

2006-02-10T22:42:00.000-05:00

wila,detail, originally uploaded by carbonator.

i like the delicate touch of the lace.

bywila

2006-02-10T22:39:00.000-05:00

bywila, originally uploaded by carbonator.

our first assignment was to make a response poem to the film i showed on a chilly monday night, Un Chien Andalou. Willa constructed three collage boxes which corresponded with the three episodes of the film.

vispo 504 survives one more semester

2006-02-10T22:38:00.000-05:00

a new crop of vispo students and a new crop of fantastic texty images!

by maya

2005-05-07T13:43:00.000-04:00

by maya, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

by joan 3

2005-05-07T13:41:00.001-04:00

by joan 3, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

by joan 2

2005-05-07T13:41:00.000-04:00

by joan 2, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

by joan 1

2005-05-07T13:39:00.000-04:00

by joan 1, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

by neil

2005-05-07T13:38:00.000-04:00

by neil, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

by yasbel

2005-05-07T13:37:00.000-04:00

by yasbel, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

by cyd

2005-04-10T22:08:00.000-04:00

by cyd, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Cyd's piece is deceptively simple but conceptually rich because her sound poem consisted of the sound of the typewriter making the words that appear on the piece of paper.

by Alissa

2005-04-10T22:04:00.000-04:00

by Alissa, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Alissa drew on a t-shirt and Yasbel made the sound poem.

by joan

2005-04-10T22:02:00.000-04:00

by joan, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

joan's visual piece. sound by Neil de la Flor

melissa 2

2005-04-10T22:01:00.000-04:00

melissa 2, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

text on small wooden balls

by neil

2005-04-10T21:58:00.000-04:00

by neil, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

the assignment was to make a sound poem inspired by a visual poem by a classmate. visuals by Neil and sound by Joan.

class collage

2005-03-28T09:43:00.000-05:00

MAUREEN-O-GRAM

The child fell into the sea, searching for the hatch in the phosphorescence.

Posed its triple edict of taboo, nonexistence, and silence,

including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases

to mourn the meaning in loss.

(you crazy?)

I feel bad when he tells me I’m too self-centered

For her unblessed children.

The ‘Don’t Walk’ sign became a walk sign.

His other hand held her by her cunt-hairs.

This caused a great deal of pain,

And let us always be kind in this world.

-----------------------------------

MAUREEN-O-GRAM 2

The organization of the ‘conventional’ family came to be

To mourn the meaning in loss

In Brooklyn, in a delicatessen, on and on.

Your benefit and ours.

Eat my mother’s crazy glue.

Sometimes it makes me sad, he will begin.

She pulled it from her cunt and put it into another round hole p laced a little lower down, like the eye of a Cyclops between two cool white fleshy globes.

If you insist on weaving that wool scarf I’ll be forced to tell you very much I love you,

But it would be untrue.

I feel secure when he puts his legs over mine when we’re falling asleep.

Prof Bohn & class

2005-03-08T05:26:00.000-05:00

Prof Bohn & class, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Last night the distinguished professor Willard Bohn visited our class and he gave an exciting presentation about a visual poem by the avant-garde poet from Chile Vicente Huidobro. He then spent the rest of the class talking about what makes visual poetry unique in the areas of literature as well as in the art world. In the pic Prof. Bohn (white shirt, dark trousers) and the class is gathered around Neil de la Flor's mac to see and hear his computer generated visual poem. At the end of the inspiring and informative visit I asked Willard if he had any advice for young poets who had serious thoughts about entering this line of creative expression. He said one must always have fun while making visual poetry. The sense of play with language, play with text, and play with the visual elements is very important.

Visual Poetry exhibit @ Harvard

2005-03-05T00:06:00.000-05:00

My kindly students, please click on the following link that will take you to one of the major visual poetry events happening this Spring in the U.S.: Infinity: An Exhibition of Visual Poetry. The exhibit is up right now and will last the whole month of March. There is also an online exhibit where we can get glimpses of the exciting new work by some of the foremost practitioners of the art. For a description of the opening see this entry by a sassy blogger named Roger.

Read this great interview of Maureen Seaton

2005-03-04T23:58:00.000-05:00

Neil has interviewed the innovative and intrepid Maureen Seaton and it has been published, here. You can check out some of her excellent collages and art boxes.

Here, we have Neil de la Flor!

2005-03-01T05:58:00.000-05:00

Neil is an integral part of our class who prefers to use the digital arena for his vispo pieces. He has been creating computer generated work which has to have its own forum so here is his blog called: transliminal.

by Joan Varini

2005-03-01T05:47:00.000-05:00

by Joan Varini, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Here we have a continuation of Joan's circular themes but this piece is more intricate and fully interactive. She said she was driving home from the last Vispo class and her head was spinning with ideas and images and on the radio was some government voice talking about some policy changes. The collaged text repeats the words "mind control" over and over. This is what is going through her mind as her head is spinning.

Joan 2

2005-03-01T05:39:00.000-05:00

Joan 2, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

In this pic we see the cylinder has little windows cut out and there are collaged images seen through the windows. The piece is made interactive when the reader moves the wooden base (which is a lazy susan mechanism) and the images inside move to illustrate a visual and textual narrative. Very exciting!

Joan 3

2005-03-01T05:33:00.000-05:00

Joan 3, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

This is a detail of the interactive windows.

by Yasbel Fernandez-Acuna

2005-03-01T05:31:00.000-05:00

by Yasbel Fernandez-Acuna, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Yasbel's piece has text written on the right side which says "America the beautiful." I think she is working on several of these appropriated images, taking them out of their fashion ad contexts and using the text to change the meaning.

by Maya May

2005-03-01T05:27:00.000-05:00

by Maya May, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Maya's piece is large and powerful and the fist is made of text from her poems. In process.

by Janet Tamez

2005-03-01T05:25:00.000-05:00

by Janet Tamez, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Janet's piece is pure collage inspired by one of her salty performance poems called 'La Morenita."

by Cyd Apellido

2005-03-01T05:22:00.000-05:00

by Cyd Apellido, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Cyd's piece is a map collaged with the url's and descriptions of web sites that come up when one googles the word "Filipina." Over 90% of the sites are sexual and degrading to Filipino women or about mail order brides. The arrows all point away from the Philippines depicting the recent past and current Filipino diaspora of overseas workers finding jobs in other parts of the world due to the untenable condition of poverty and political oppression found back in the homeland.

by Sorina Panaitescu

2005-03-01T05:13:00.000-05:00

by Sorina Panaitescu, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Sorina's piece is wonderfully done with painted flower motif and with the right portion collaged with newspaper text/headlines and personal images of her family and friends.

This is why you take Vispo 504!

2005-02-26T06:36:00.000-05:00

Can you tell me about the color of the metaphor that lives four doors down?
Where is my simile tickling you tonight?
Come to class and learn how to bounce your imagination across this field of animated dreams!

Why we love Shin Yu Pai . . .

2005-02-21T23:06:00.000-05:00

class standing:reading, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Today was Alissa's turn to do her book presentation and she had chosen Shin Yu Pai's book Equivalence. The class was very much inspired by Pai's poems, her poetics, her artistic vision, and her brilliance. In this pic the class is performing her poem J-U-M-P which has the instruction (text to be read aloud while standing on a chair).

So you gotsa visual poems all over the back seat of yer car, so what are you going to do now?

2005-02-21T16:16:00.000-05:00

Well, start sending them out to good web mags that like experimental poetry like:

Sleeping Fish

Eratio

Lilies & Cannon balls Review
and

XStream

Read this important essay.

2005-02-19T10:48:00.000-05:00

Moving Text in avant-garde Poetry by Teemu Ikonen. This is a seminal study of kinetic poetry in the digital world by this Finnish professor from the University of Helsinki. Neil, pay particular attention to this because this is what you are doing with your cyber poetry.

Now take a look at POEMS THAT GO!

2005-02-18T17:52:00.000-05:00

Poems That Go is an older site and it has a wonderful array of interactive digital poetry. Some of my personal favorites are Jim Andrews' "Arteroids" and Natalie Bookchin's "Intruder." Go in there, interact with the poems, have fun, and let me know what you learned. Consider these questions: What are the differences and similarities between the poems in this site and Born Magazine? Are text and image co-equal in illustrating each other? How does the device of involving the reader influence the "reading" of the poem?

I Want You to Check Out This New Web Mag

2005-02-18T04:32:00.000-05:00

Take a look at Born Magazine and watch & read the digitized poems. A text poet is paired with a designer and they collaborate on the web piece. Let me know what you think!

by Melissa Barrow

2005-02-17T23:58:00.000-05:00

by Melissa Barrow, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Melissa has also made a booklet of chapbook size. The cover is felt fabric and the pages are collaged with abstract images. On some of the pages she draws a few pencil figures like this one on the left page. Text from poems will be added later.

by Sorina Panaitescu

2005-02-17T23:53:00.000-05:00

by Sorina Panaitescu, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Sorina has a fold book that is unfolded and we can see the heart image (Valentines Day theme) and text saying "make love, not war." The appendage has wire filigree on an oval.

by Alissa Stone

2005-02-17T20:19:00.000-05:00

by Alissa Stone, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Alissa presents us with a more traditional booklet with 5 1/2 x 11 paper folded in half. This is one of the inner pages with collaged images, text hand written on the borders and cut-out velcro figures of Alice in wonderland that can be moved from page to page. Fun and interactive!

by Cyd Apellido

2005-02-15T23:23:00.000-05:00

by Cyd Apellido, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Here is Cyd's multi-part piece which is a book composed of three origami triangle tip boxes which contain pictures of cute dogs and scrolls of historical texts that depict the cultural and political struggle between the Philippines and the United States. One of the texts is about the St. Louis World's Fair where they imported Filipino native Igorots and made them eat dogs to signify that they were indeed, savages.

By Yasbel Fernandez-Acuna

2005-02-15T23:11:00.000-05:00

By Yasbel Fernandez-AcunÌƒa, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Here's Yasbel's little fold book made with a printed out copy of a Salvador Dali print. There is text collaged within the pages.

Joan #4

2005-02-15T08:26:00.000-05:00

Joan #4, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

In part 4, we see the book unfolded to reveal the images and the poems. And way in the bottom of the box is an assemblage of found objects (whale, sea shells, anchor chain) embeded in wax that refers to the ocean sounds of the womb, the tidal pull of the moon. This is the first student visual poem that is truly intermedia and has an interactive component which makes the piece evolve in depth and texture.

Joan #3

2005-02-15T08:15:00.000-05:00

Joan #3, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

In part 3, we have lifted the lid of the box and underneath the lid is revealed a picture of the artist in a pregnant pose listening to her womb sounds. Inside the box is the fold-type book which has collaged images and texts of Joan's poems.

Joan #2

2005-02-15T08:10:00.000-05:00

Joan #2, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

In part 2 of the piece you see that the picture of the moon has been cut out in a spiral shape which is lifted to reveal a set of concentric mirrors below which reflect the moon's glow. This piece also incorporates a taped sound poem which is played while you interact with the work. The main sounds are that of a baby's heart beat while in the womb, drums, and Joan's voice repeating "water, womb, moon" rhythmically to her baby's heart beat.

By Joan Varini

2005-02-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

By Joan Varini, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Joan's book is contained in a circular box and is entitled WATER WOMB MOON. Let's begin with the lid which has a laminated picture of the full moon and a round sticker indicating the title.

By Janet Tamez

2005-02-15T07:54:00.000-05:00

By Janet Tamez, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

This is Janet's accordion fold book which starts with a framed picture of her grandmother. Text written on the glass is in Spanish and says "La Bruja Buena" the good witch. Behind, the pages unfold, one side painted maroone, the other silver, where she can attach post-it notes which indicate her wishes and desires. Much like pinning notes and prayers on saints in Catholic countries.

Book Arts Bonanza!

2005-02-15T07:34:00.000-05:00

The students presented their artists books last night and they were quite attractive. Text and image are now resonating deeper. Conceptualization more sophisticated.

by Maya May

2005-02-15T07:31:00.000-05:00

by Maya May, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Maya's piece is also in process. It will be enlarged and be printed out on a huge scale.

by Savita Vega

2005-02-15T07:29:00.000-05:00

by Savita Vega, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Here is Savita's first piece which is a small version of a bigger collage and 3-d visual poem. In process.

by Cyd Apellido

2005-02-12T00:17:00.000-05:00

by Cyd Apellido, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Cyd has made her own label for the intoxicating drink "Ennui" which is "Made from 100% Langour."

by Sorina Panaitescu

2005-02-08T22:36:00.000-05:00

by Sorina, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Sorina has made a collage on a board. The central image is of the Virgin Mary, the text is hand written, in Greek letters below and symbols above. Her word was "spirit."

Book Arts

2005-02-08T11:09:00.000-05:00

Last night was exciting, informative, and inspiration filled because of Carol Todaro's wonderful lecture and presentation on book arts. Small talk on the history of the art, then a great slide show of her multi-facetted work, then we all had to wash our hands before we examined the many samples of her Artist Books and also her student's work. The cherry on the cherry cake was when she showed us how to make a couple of fold type books. I think this is how a poetry workshop should be: hands on and tactile.

O.K. my students, tell me your individual experiences of that class. Comments are open. What did you learn? If anything?

by Janet Tamez

2005-02-06T13:01:00.000-05:00

by Janet, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Janet Tamez has made bottle inspired piece influenced by the Vigen de Guadalupe. Her "halo" is made from a plastic bubble blower. The word "Dios" is written on the sides of the bottle.

by Alissa Stone

2005-02-02T23:10:00.000-05:00

by Alissa Stone, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Here's Alissa's more figurative piece. Buildings in the background are collaged with text as texture.

by Mario Matus Villa

2005-02-01T21:44:00.000-05:00

by Mario Matus Villa, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

Mario wearing his "a" shirt poem.

by Joan Varini

2005-02-01T00:58:00.000-05:00

by Joan Varini, originally uploaded by Vispo504.

One of the first Vispo pieces from the class. More to come as soon as I learn to upload.

Carol Todaro: exquisite book artist

2005-01-31T16:49:00.000-05:00

Carol Todaro will visit our class next Monday, Feb 7. She will talk about book arts, show slides, and show us a few of her own pieces. We will also make a book! How exciting is that!

Change of date for visit

2005-01-31T16:32:00.000-05:00

The distinguished professor Willard Bohn will now visit our class on March 7 instead of the 21st. Please finish reading his seminal book The Aesthetics of Visual Poetry by March 7th.

Neil Powell Essay

2005-01-31T16:28:00.000-05:00

Concrete Poetry and Conceptual Art