Lotus Sunrise in B-Flat Major - May 31, 2010

Lotus Sunrise in B-Flat Major

2010 - 24" x 24", Mixed media on wood

It's dawn, and the animals gather together for their morning trek. Giant green walking fish and snowy egret lead the way, following the scent of the lotus flower. Alien is the conductor, with the sounds of nature as his orchestra. He recites a poem.

Sonic Parallels of the Zen

Your name is Clive.

Retain a numerical sequence of the raven hair.

To explain one, habitually between ones.

The first includes a second.

Nine, ten, eleven, and then one.

Instinctually write for a few years.

Avoid the long answer.
Question, then ask.

Point to the misunderstood.
Describe a joke.

You mean diversion?

An articulate and extensive philosophy.

Cited as a composer of composing, an anti-composition.

Decidedly avante-garde.
Infamous perplexing works, Dada style.

Turn to the melodies in the ceiling fan.
Playing a note of the wind.
Imbuing enthusiasm of a true silence.
Pages of a blank score and not a single note.
Listen to it.

The tribe reaches the pink mountains of the forgotten world. A lotus flower rises from water, releasing the sun into the sky.


Background: I take the Brooklyn Rail newspaper and underline words and phases in the articles that catch my attention. Then circle a word or phrase for the title. It's more of a subtractive process, taking a page of words and editing down to a poem, or maybe several. It's kind of backwards from the traditional process of adding words to a blank page, but it works for me. The pieces of newspaper with poems get used as collage material in my artwork.

The concept of taking something that already exists and turning it into something new was inspired by a Richard Prince exhibition at the Guggenheim - 2008. His re-photography, nurse paintings, and deKooning woman, collage paintings were my favorites.