(on a painting by Bridget Riley)
optical illusion
overflows
energy
black and white
shimmer
become
stripy
signature
of a
heat hazed
zebra.
This poem is in response to a painting by Bridget Riley currently on display at the Dean Gallery in Edinburgh as part of the Cutting Edge Exhibition.
Poetry Thursday.
It's quite impressive what the artist has done with paints on canvas. I thought at first it must be computer generated but no.
ReplyDeleteThe poem suits the style of art, simple yet strong.
I've seen some pictures of some other paintings of hers, but in colour. I gather that the exact width of the stripes makes a big difference to tehir optical effect, so pictures in books or on the web don't really do them justice. I enjoyed the poem.
ReplyDeleteWow, freaky paintings make my head spin.
ReplyDeleteYour poem in response reflects my reaction.
I like the line about a heat hazed zebra. This kind of art doesn't do much for me, although as someone has already commented they probably need to be seen in the flesh to really get the full effect.
ReplyDeleteEeek! I'm with Brian!
ReplyDeleteAnd the poem was perfect!
I have to say that Bridget Riley's paintings were the first i ever remember seeing in a gallery. I was very young and i just loved the way the black and white stripes moved on the canvas. I don't remember seeing any of her coloured works 'live'. Her work definitely works better in reality than on the internet. Thanks for all your comments. (Yes sometimes they make my head spin too, Brian!).
ReplyDeleteDitto! The poem reflects perfectly the style of the artwork.
ReplyDeleteI love the style of the poem.
ReplyDeleteC
Wow, I could get a headache if I looked at those paintings awhile. Your poem captures the essence of the srt wonderfully.
ReplyDeleteI actually don't like the word "stripy," wishing it was striped or stripe. Otherwise, interesting art to write about and great poem.
ReplyDeleteWould it be too crazy to make one of those pieces my laptop backgroudn? Perhaps.
At first, I didn't like the word "stripy" either, but then I saw it, structurally, as the pluck of the string, carrying the wave back and forth, just like the painting! Very well-crafted poem!
ReplyDeleteGreat Poem! I had never see any of her paintings before, but through your words I could almost see the painting in my head. After reading the poem, I followed the link to the artist, and the paintings it showed were very close to what I had envisioned.
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ReplyDeleteThis is good. It explains exactly the way the paintings go.
ReplyDeleteStill reeling under that impact.
Now I want to see the painting.
ReplyDeleteNow I would like to see the painting. Alas, I live much too far away....
ReplyDeleteSo Bridget Riley... my eyes are swimming just reading this poem, exactly as they would when observing one of her paintings. Really well done.
ReplyDeleteLove the heat-hazed zebra - terrific poem - I would love to see it interspersed between those drawings. And I love drawings like that - I am a total fan of MC Escher.
ReplyDelete"stripy
ReplyDeletesignature
of a
heat hazed
zebra."
I like these lines - the use of the word 'signature' captures that wavy illusion of the paintings.
very very cool Crafty.....
ReplyDeleteMy eyes are rolling. Black and white really do shimmer.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by.
Your poem went really well with this art. I've never seen anything like it. Cool!
ReplyDeleteWow! You end it with quite a masterful wham:
ReplyDelete"signature
of a
heat hazed
zebra."
Loved it...
"heat hazed"! What a sharp, strongly edged poem that takes it cue so intelligent from Riley's works (I haven't looked at one of those in years--thanks for the vertigo).
ReplyDeletewhat a doubly great addition to PT, I learned about a new artist as well!
ReplyDeleteI have to add my voice to the mix and agree with "heat hazed zebra" being perhaps the best image ever - and so apt. You really couldn't have said it any better.
Heat hazed brought me back to heat rising from Florida asphalt. That thought combined with zebra made your poem quite visual for me.
ReplyDeleteI like the heat hazed zebra; perfect description. The poem is absolutely great. Love it.
ReplyDeleteJuliet,
ReplyDeleteBeuatifully cuts right to the heart of her paintings!
Your and her images build on each other nicely!
rel
I like how crisp this is; the final image is perfect
ReplyDeleteI love all the alliteration. It reinforces the artist's work. Nice!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the links--I haven't looked at this type of geometric art in ages, and I always liked it. Albers' book on color (Interaction of Color) was foundational material for me and I have to think he included Riley as an example (my copy is long gone, too bad.)