About the Sorbonne, thanks very much, Jesse. I think the big picture about
it is that my work fits in well with the theme of the conference
(http://andnowfestival.com):
"&Now's 2012 theme "Exchanges and cross-fertilizations" addresses the idea
of innovative literary art in terms of importation from and thriving on
different genres, forms, fields and media."
I've been describing my work as a synthesis of arts and media for many
years. 'Writing' is a very broad enterprise indeed, and 'poetry', while
somewhat narrower than 'writing', is more committed to and curious about
exploring the range that 'writing' represents than many a form of writing.
For instance, I think poetry is much more flexible and multi-faceted a form
than fiction. If we think of 'writing' in its
entirety, not just art but all of 'writing', it's really broad. And it's
poetry that seeks to embrace it all, the seed catalogue, the technical
manual, the screenplay, advertising, programming--and extends much further
yet into the techniques of other arts and media. Poetry is more or less the
only light on looking out over the whole range of 'writing'. And broader
yet, much broader yet. Toward all possibilities, and especially those in
which our intensest engagements with language are occuring.
Aleph Null is indeed a form of writing, whether you like it or not. And I'm
hoping this conference will involve a truly bewildering range of forms of
writing in the service of art and poetry.
ja
http://vispo.com/aleph
http://vispo.com
----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2012 4:39 PM
Subject: Good Luck, Jim
> Didn't you just say this thing was "life" a few clicks back, Jim?
> Before that you'd announced that it was "art" and now it's writing.
>
> Reminds me a bit of a product an old high-school buddy once tried to sell
> me: you could brush your teeth, polish your shoes, take out blood
> stains, and wash the walls with it.
>
> Just goes to show that writing is anything we say its is. Art too.
> Poetry especially so.
>
> Honestly, though, J, when you give your Sorbonne talk, make sure you
> mention your previous confusions about what "it" is while the admiring
> French fall into the blank spaces within the computer screen.
>
> If I were you, I'd stick with "life" as it makes you sound more
> omnipotent-- but "life" has been done already all over the place. I
> wonder how many of those programs are silently morphing away in locked
> offices at MIT? Calling it writing may very well get you in the door. A
> bit like a new sauce on an old hamburger or pink shoelaces in
> yesterday's worn-out tennis shoes.
>
> Jess
|