Tuesday, March 19, 2013

NEW PROJECT IN PREPARATION

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:

Dick said...

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'!

Natalie d'Arbeloff said...

"...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.

marja-leena said...

Oh, how exciting! Congratulations to you both! May your relief blocks emerge swimmingly, Natalie.

Natalie d'Arbeloff said...

Marja-Leena, thanks. It's going to be a long swim but I enjoy the challenge.

Lucy said...

What an exciting project, from an altogether class team!

Jean said...

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.

Natalie d'Arbeloff said...

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.

Beth said...

I just Can. Not. Wait. !!!

Natalie said...

Beth, it will be a long wait but worth it, I'm sure. Stick with me!

addon said...

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!!

Natalie said...

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.

Dominic Rivron said...

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.

Natalie d'Arbeloff said...

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.

Clive Hicks-Jenkins said...

Congratulations on the Old Stile Press project, Natalie. That sounds wonderful. Well done.

Natalie d'Arbeloff said...

Thanks Clive, it's exciting and wholly absorbing to be working on it.