A while ago I mentioned
that I was waiting for an exciting new project to be
confirmed. Well, I can now reveal that it is definitely
going to happen.
A new collaboration
with The
Old Stile Press on
a limited edition book: Dick
Jones' wonderfully
spirited
English translation of Blaise
Cendrars' (Fréderic-Louis Sauser)
chef d'oeuvre, the long poem Trans-Siberian
Prosody and Little Jeanne from France, illustrated
by me. Our project has
received the blessing and agreement of the rights
owner, Miriam Gilou Cendrars, daughter of Blaise
Cendrars, a most interesting person in her own right.
I'm currently immersed in her marvellous
biography of Cendrars which brings to life this
elusive and complex poet so vividly that
you feel part of his circle of friends, family,
lovers, critics and collaborators and the time and
places in which they lived.
Preparatory work has been
simmering for the last few months but my task of creating
the images and making the relief blocks to be hand-printed
by Nicolas McDowall begins in earnest now. It's going
to take a long time before the finished book appears
but I know it will be stupendous. I'm not going to blog about
the work in progress - I think that would spoil the final
effect.
For now here
are a few more not-so-recent constructions/assemblages.
By the way, in case you were wondering, some of those
I've been posting are for sale. If interested, email
me please.
15 comments:
Love the frames. Just my kind of thing!
I'll go public on the Patteran Pages shortly. I'm sure both my readers will be delighted! It looks like we're aiming for May for a mini-swarm so hopefully I might be allowed a glimpse of what's cooking for the 'Trans-Sib'!
"...both your readers.." ha ha! You mean the selective, perceptive, attentive and loyal crowd gathered around Patteran Pages?
Yes, looking forward to the May mini-swarm and maybe I'll have something to show you by then.
Oh, how exciting! Congratulations to you both! May your relief blocks emerge swimmingly, Natalie.
Marja-Leena, thanks. It's going to be a long swim but I enjoy the challenge.
What an exciting project, from an altogether class team!
Wow, Natalie. Exciting news about the Old Stile Press and your contacts with Cendrars' daughter! This is going to be such a gorgeous project. I had no idea the original was also an illustrated book - and by Sonia Delaunay, no less, one of my absolutely favourite artists. So much about her work that I love for the same reasons I love yours, and so much that is utterly different, which seems absolutely appropriate for a translation project.
Lucy, everything about this project thus far seems to have clicked into place in so many ways. Now to do the work!
Jean, I'm going to write a bit more, how it came about and some background. Indeed there are so many parallels, it's amazing.
I just Can. Not. Wait. !!!
Beth, it will be a long wait but worth it, I'm sure. Stick with me!
Major congratulations Natalie, I can sense the excitement pulsing over the Interwebs! I know nothing of the names of which you speak; no matter - I am sure the project will be shiveringly good fun in its execution and brilliant in its result!
Go like a greyhound after the bunny!!
Adam, it *is* exciting because the poem is so fascinating and stimulating to my image-making faculties. Look up the links I gave if you have time, definitely interesting.
The book project sounds brilliant.
These assemblages - are they ever going to be exhibited together somewhere? To see them all together like that would be quite an experience.
Just posted a post about William Turnbull - I saw a film about him which I thought was totally captivating.
Dominic, I would love to exhibit those assemblages/constructions all together - some of them were shown in various exhibitions but never all at once. Am waiting for some venue to invite them!
Will go look at your Turnbull post now.
Congratulations on the Old Stile Press project, Natalie. That sounds wonderful. Well done.
Thanks Clive, it's exciting and wholly absorbing to be working on it.
Post a Comment