Toni Partington and I would like to thank everyone who participated in or supported The Marriage of Poetic Words and Images, our first art show as curators. We are especially grateful to Angst Gallery Director Leah Jackson for entrusting the space to us for National Poetry Month. We encourage the community to send any photos they may have taken of the event so that we can add them to this page or the Facebook photo album:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4790349569206.1073741826.1609878790&type=3 . In addition, if any of the writers whose work is featured in the show would like for us to post their pieces here, please send them to christopherjluna@gmail.com.
We are very fortunate to be a part of Vancouver’s growing, vibrant arts community. One of the qualities we have noticed about this particular community is that many people work in more than one medium. The Marriage of Poetic Words and Images aims to convey the unique impact that language and image have when presented together in visual art.
The majority of the artists who have contributed to this show live in Vancouver, WA; however, the show also features work from artists and writers from Yakima, WA and Portland, OR. Angst Gallery owner Leah Jackson has been a great supporter of art, poetry, and music in downtown Vancouver for many years, and has supported us as we have evolved as poets, visual artists, and community organizers. Therefore, her gallery is the perfect location for such a show.
Christopher Luna and Toni Partington
Writers/Artists
Editors and Publishers, Printed Matter Vancouver
Art by Erin Dengerink and Christopher Luna, poem by Christopher Luna
Art by Erin Dengerink and Christopher Luna, poem by Christopher Luna
Christopher Luna poses in front of his collaboration with Erin Dengerink
Here is the text of the poem that formed the basis of the work seen above:
The Tarot Facilitates a Long-Overdue Goodbye
by Christopher Luna, March 2008
I.
three become one
envision bounty
loose robes fall
among grapes, squash, tomato
there are oranges behind you
and a volcano
connects your genitalia
dig in
and don’t tell me
who my elders ought to be
outdated though my ways may be
they still have potential to bring peace to the valley
rove naked
bang on the wall
between you
and the other half
you are already there
upside down, The Butterfly Queen
disappears into the clouds
you will remember neither
the pattern of her garment
nor the curl of her hair
II.
Bend eternally. Raise a sword. Accept the tongue of the lion you once were. It’s alright to dream of the butterfly you may become. Heart open. Head aflame. The avenging angel spreads its hands, sending six rays of light which pierce the soldiers’ armor. And the hills run red with blood. Raise the glasses you were given. Celebrate the bounty assembled before your feet. Tired—nay, exhausted.
After completion
begin again.
Michael Smith’s drawing based on Christopher Luna’s “pavement pastoral”
Art and poetry by Eileen Elliott
Art and poetry by Eileen Elliott
Art and poetry by April Bullard
“River God” by April Bullard
Work by Jolyn Wolfe, Greg Bee, Olinka Broadfoot, Michele Venclik, Kelly Keigwin,
Christopher Luna, Toni Partington, and Eileen Elliott
Work by Greg Bee
Art by Jolyn Wolfe, poetry by Percy Bysshe Shelly
Bust of Christopher Luna by Olinka Broadfoot, bird sculpture by Toni Partington
Bust of Christopher Luna by Olinka Broadfoot, bird sculpture by Toni Partington
Work by Michele Venclik, Kelly Keigwin, Eileen Elliott, Toni Partington, Christopher Luna and Jeremy Gaulke,
Leah Jackson, Anni Becker and John Furniss, and Toni Partington
Work by Michele Venclik and Kelly Keigwin
Art and text by Michele Venclik
Work by Michele Venclik, Kelly Keigwin, and Eileen Elliott
Work by Michele Venclik and Kelly Keigwin
Poetry and fabric art by Eileen Elliott
Art by Anni Becker and John Furniss
“What I Tried to Say” by Leah Jackson
Jeremy Gaulke’s illustration of Christopher Luna’s poem “full text hallucination 102”
Jeremy Gaulke’s illustration of Christopher Luna’s poem “full text hallucination 102”
“Into the Muir Woods” by Toni Partington
Christopher Luna’s sketch of poet Dan Raphael in action
and “Into the Muir Woods” by Toni Partington
Sculpture by Toni Partington, based on and featuring text from her poem “Implication”
Sculpture by Toni Partington, based on and featuring text from her poem “Implication”
Work by Olinka Broadfoot, Christopher Luna, Toni Partington, Jolyn Wolfe, Jim Martin, and DaBat
I was very moved by the enormous work that Olinka Broadfoot created that was inspired by my poem “sometimes the latticework of the veil”:
Christopher Luna poses next to Olinka Broadfoot’s work based on “sometimes the latticework of the veil”
sometimes the latticework of the veil
is so perfectly constructed
that it has the appearance of reality
flesh and blood, rather than
a sorry excuse for truth
pastiche of fortune cookie wisdom
ad copy & lines from old movies
stand in for the darkness
which is not evil after all
but the residue of a broken heart
throbbing, sweating
flooding blood-soaked tears
in a melodramatic gush
not to be contained by the
gauzy barrier of our skin
eventually
all
is revealed
we
are
hopelessly
(beautifully)
human
after all
On April 27, some of the artists and writers who participated in the show held a poetry reading at Niche Wine and Art Bar. Here is the announcement for that event, followed by some photos from that night:
6pm
Saturday, April 27
Niche Wine and Art Bar
1013 Main Street
Vancouver, WA
A Poetry Reading and Q&A
With artists and writers from
The Marriage of Poetic Words and Images
An art exhibit at Angst Gallery (1015 Main)
Curated by Christopher Luna and Toni Partington
Music by Five Guys Playing Jazz
Exhibit closes Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sponsored by Leah Jackson and Printed Matter Vancouver
Join us for a reading and Q&A at Niche Wine and Art Bar featuring some of the writers and artists featured in The Marriage of Poetic Words and Images, an exhibit curated by Printed Matter Vancouver founders Toni Partington and Christopher Luna to commemorate National Poetry Month. Confirmed to be in attendance as of this writing: Christopher Luna, Jim Martin, Jenney Pauer, Toni Partington, and Michele Venclik.
Saturday night’s event will be dedicated to our friend Greg Bee, who assists Leah Jackson in numerous ways, has work in the show, and is currently in the ICU. Because flowers are not allowed in the ICU, Leah has set up a station where people can create flowers to be taken to Greg. This will be available until closing time on Saturday. Here is more info: https://www.facebook.com/events/182822975204920/
Many creative people work in more than one medium. The Marriage of Poetic Words and Images aims to present the unique impact of language and image when melded together in visual art. This will take the form of photographs, painting, sculpture, and mixed media. Some of the work will be inspired by poetry, while other pieces will be visual art that includes text. The show will also include poetry that is presented in a particularly visual way, or is inspired by art. While many of the pieces in the show are the result of collaborations between artists and writers, many of our contributors will be utilizing both language and visual art. The majority of the artists live in Vancouver; however, we will also feature work from artists and writers from Yakima, WA and Portland, OR.
The artists and writers who are featured in this show include: Anni Becker, Greg Bee, Olinka Broadfoot, April Bullard, DaBat, Erin Dengerink, Eileen Davis Elliott, Jeremy Gaulke, Leah Jackson, Kelly Keigwin, Christopher Luna, Jim Martin, Toni Partington, Jenney Pauer, Michael Smith, Michele Venclik, and Jolyn Wolfe.
Christopher Luna reads at Niche Wine and Art Bar on April 27, 2013
DaBat reads his poetry at Niche Wine and Art Bar on April 27, 2013
DaBat reads his poetry at Niche Wine and Art Bar on April 27, 2013
Jim Martin reads his poetry at Niche on April 27, 2013
Jim Martin reads his poetry at Niche on April 27, 2013
Jim Martin reads his poetry at Niche on April 27, 2013
Toni Partington reads her poetry at Niche on April 27, 2013
Toni Partington reads her poetry at Niche on April 27, 2013
We are also very grateful to Jenney Pauer for reading from her work that evening, and to Leah Jackson, Erin Dengerink, and Michele Venclik for attending the reading. Finally, Toni and Christopher would like to say a big thank you to Leah Jackson for her leadership, and for all that she does for the arts in Vancouver. Thank you for trusting us to curate a show at your gallery, and for supporting our work.
Artist, Angst Gallery Director, and Niche Proprietor Leah Jackson with artists Heidi Morkert and Erin Dengerink
at Niche April 27, 2013
PRINTED MATTER VANCOUVER 