Poetry Student magazine no.1, 1975. The Bob Cobbing selection

 

A good find at the book fair on Sunday, which I only went to because Typewriter Jim found a gem there when he last attended. This copy of Poetry Student magazine was buried in piles of old poetry mags. It features Bob Cobbing as guest editor of their Centrepiece section. I did find a couple more, one with Bob Cobbing material in, which I might scan. I've got a cold though at the moment and already the effort feels to much like hard work - oh you're so lucky - really - but I made the effort! Adding titles to the pieces is too much effort though - sorry - but if you follow the guide in the Centrepiece box below you'll find out who did what since I scanned them in the correct order. Visual/Concrete Poetry might have been on its last legs by 1975. I don't know. That's just a feeling. Before the gap in which nobody did anything (ha-ha) then the revival in, um, er, 2000-and-something.

Typewriter Workshop at The People's Museum

 

I'm pleased to report that the workshop went well. I typed. They typed. It was great to see people take to the task with such enthusiasm. A few produced pieces so good that I could only wonder if they were after my job as The Best Typewriter Vispo Artist in NW1 - hah-hah.

Barrie Tullett gave a talk afterwards, accompanied by a slide show, that was illuminating and funny, skipping through histories of type, ribbons, machines and concrete poetry. I'm not one for talks, but this was excellent, entertaining and informative. The Museum had assembled a nice collection of typewriters too. The exhibition of Keith Armstrong's work and life is still on if you're in London. Best check with them for opening times before going.

Vispo: Red Dream / Conrad Schnitzler

RTomens, 2024

A print and type combination. The title comes from one of the tracks I was listening to whilst creating it; Red Dream by Conrad Schnitzler.

 

Music: La nef des fous by Robert Cahen (Recollection GRM) / Film: L' entraperçu (1980) / Concrete Poetry: Get With It

 

Reissue of the Year? Already? Yes. GRM have just released La nef des fous (The Ship of Fools), comprising of pieces composed by Robert Cahen in the GRM studios between 1971 and 1974. He's now known as a filmmaker but his mastery of sound is evident on this album, as it is in his films. Beautiful, terrifying, ominous sounds blended brilliantly across five tracks in which any calm, Zen-like atmosphere is interrupted by transmissions from aliens whose messages, when decoded, promise the total takeover and rewiring of your neural pathways. You will be lost in 'music' and thankful that GRM have found this treasure for us to savour.

*

Here's a piece I made recently.

RTomens, 2024

Concrete Poem: Perturbation

RTomens, 2023

Essential Art Books - Part 2

 

Yes, inevitably, books on typewriter art/concrete poetry. 

Typewriter Art: A Modern Anthology - Barrie Tullett (2014)

This one's creeping up in price so it's best to buy one as soon as you can. It's the best contemporary coverage of typewriter art, not just because it's well designed and written but because it contains interviews with exponents old and new. 

Concerning Concrete Poetry - Bob Cobbing and Peter Mayer (1978/2014) 

Probably the most interesting book on concrete poetry, consisting as it does of statements, manifestos and musings on both concrete and sound poetry, their meaning(s) and evolution. This facsimile edition naturally has that vintage/raw appearance/appeal. Unfortunately, it's now rather pricey but I got mine before it neared it's current values. You can see a few pages here.

The Art of Typewriting - Marvin and Ruth Sackner (2015)

The best book, visually, on typewriter art. Large format and a good, selective biographical section in the back with further examples of the artists' work. This one is very affordable and essential if you're interested in what has been done by hitting keys (and yes, applying other media too). 

Book: RUHUMAN: The Typewriter Art of Keith Armstrong / Vispo: Hypersensitivity to certain final conditions

 

I was recently sent RUHUMAN: The Typewriter Art of Keith Armstrong (a fair exchange is no robbery!) and damned fine it is too. Like me and hundreds of other typewriter artists Armstrong worked solely for the love of his art rather than thinking it would 'get him anywhere' - but where can concrete/visual poetry get anyone? Since when did it open gallery doors? Since the late-60s and early-70s - maybe? If the art of typing had its moment, it was brief, but I'm no historian, just a typist, working not so far from where Armstrong did on the Euston Road, North London. 

RUHUMAN is packed with great examples of the art, the variety of possible approaches being evident here, at least, if not in most singular portfolios. As with any other artform there's a trap, the one of repetition in style. One person's trap is, after all, another's cosy home. Armstrong utilises colour and various forms from 'formal' to precise overtyping and more freeform expression, very much in the tradition (?) of DHS. Barrie Tullett co-edited the book (along with Tom Gill) and created the faultless design. You may be familiar with his anthology, which is also highly recommended.

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RTomens, 2023

This the latest piece I made, this morning. 

And here is my latest booklet, printed and designed by Paper View in Portugal. You can see some pages and buy it from them here. It was actually published late last year and sent to me then but a postal worker who happened to be a fan of typewriter art must have sensed what was in the package and kept it because it didn't arrive, so another batch had to be sent. To my delight paper View did an excellent job on the design. It's on textured paper and I like the rounded edges. 

Print: Bridge / Yes I No booklet / Frank Dunlop drum solo

RTomens, 2017

Bridge is so old that looking at it now I can't even remember how I did it - ha-ha! True. Although, if I stared hard and long enough the method might come back to me...

LJ has a theory that simply by moving books, adjusting their position a little, you can spark a sale. She might be right. She does work in the shop sometimes and can testify to her theory. I know what she means. It's as if by activating the book you send out...er...vibrations through the book-buying universe, ma-a-an, and attract people. Another way, of course, is to actually put the bloody book on the shelf! Last week I was rummaging around in the back room when I spied Cervantes' Don Quixote on the top shelf. The top shelf! No copies out in the shop. So I grabbed the pincers, reached up and prised it from its place, put it where it belonged and, yes, it sold about half an hour later. That made my day. I felt I'd done some good in the world.

Yesterday I rescued one of my own books, Yes I No (pictured above) from where it lay, sandwiched between other Art books, which is where the person working after me had put it. And from where it would never sell in a million years, being a little thing amongst big volumes on Henry Moore or whoever. I slipped a strip of card inside, on top of which I wrote 'Concrete Poetry', then I stood it facing out in front of Byron (ha-ha). Well, it amused me, as did the idea that anyone might know what the hell Concrete Poetry is. I got on with my work, which is distributing kulchur to the masses, which includes refraining from saying "Do you know what the hell you're getting involved with?" when they buy William Burroughs' Naked Lunch (as they frequently do, actually). 

It got to about twenty minutes from closing time when a girl placed a book called Jazz Poems on the counter along with Yes I No! Whoopee! I told her it was my work. She said she thought it looked 'cool' or something, smiling; then asked if I'd sign it, which I did. I hope she enjoys it. Fitting, I thought, that my work should be paired with Jazz poetry. Not that she would have known that I'm partial to Jazz. One commentator even suggested that Jazz informs my work somehow. I don't think he was wrong. Just how it does is a matter for another day, perhaps. 

Talking of Jazz, if you don't like drum solos, look away now. I discovered this fantastic clip of  Frank Dunlop this morning. The art of building a great solo right here...

Poetry and The Beast

 

I don't have as much time to work on The Beast, these days, but I'm not complaining. Perhaps I'm a bit rusty. Anyway, here are two recent pieces of concrete poetry/vispo I made.

It Isn't My Fault, RTomens, 2021

Coming To Be, RTomens, 2021

I've deliberately left the slugs (some of them) clogged up because I like the grungy look. The quote is from Aristotle.

Vispo (not typewriter art): I Don't Mind

RTomens, 2021

 

I've sometimes used the term 'Typewriter Art' to describe my work but that more commonly describes figurative content so I'm not using it any more. In my naivety I thought I could get away with trying to broaden out the 'meaning' but recently I received an email from an irate Typewriter Artist saying I should never use the term for what I do. He was quite irate. I clicked on the link he provided and looked at his pictures of a horse, his mum and Karl Marx, all done on a typewriter! I would have liked his art more if it depicted his mum and Karl Marx sat on the same horse, but it didn't. 

I made that story up. No artists ever email me. But I am doubting the use of 'Typewriter Art'.

TTFN

Vispo: I Wonder

RTomens, 2021

Made on the Remington portable. First the print element, then the typing. The print was made from a novel (We The Living by Ayn Rand) - no significance there - I just never got round to reading it and so...

Vispo? Concrete Poetry? Perhaps not the latter. No cast iron definitions to my mind, although 'experts' might beg to differ. Typewriter art...

I wonder why these words leapt out at me from another novel, The Age of Reason, by Sartre. When I flick through looking for the 'right' text to sample, some phrases just...seem right.  

TTFN

 

The Typewriter as Art / My New Imperial Typewriter / Concrete Poem: Bystanders

Olivetti ad, 1970

The typewriter as Art. Why not? Some of us do salivate over the best-looking ones. Looks aren't everything, of course, as I remind myself whilst looking in the mirror...every day. Take this Imperial 66. You can try to take it, but you won't get far unless you're very strong...'my Imperial weighs a ton', as Public Enemy never said. Someone kindly donated it to 'the cause' of Concrete Poetry having heard me complain that my old wide-carriage machine had broken down. Luckily he gave me a lift home, otherwise I could never have carried it to the station....

...I'm still feeling my way around the Imperial, but first impressions are good. It has a surprisingly sensitive touch for such a heavy machine. By sensitive, I just mean it doesn't require the keys to be hit with a hammer as I first thought when seeing it. It has a good feel to it. The slugs need cleaning, but I'm growing to love The Beast. Here's the third piece I made with it...

Vispo/Drawing/Typewriter art: C Breaks Free / Be Thankful For What You Got?

RTomens, 2021

C Breaks Free was finished this morning since it was pure typing done a couple of days ago until I decided to add some ink lines. I haven't drawn a great deal on typewritten works but since thinking about it recently I'll be doing more. It's possible for a kind of tension to arise between the lines and typed letters, as well as lines enhancing letters, they could overwhelm them.  I shall be experimenting with the density of the lines. The background marks are from rain drops. When it started I thought, for a second, it would ruin the piece, but then I went with it, let it rain and smeared the drops. Turns out I like the effect.

*

'Be thankful for what you got' sang William DeVaughn in the classic of the same name. It's something I try to remember when I get fed up. We all should, but it's not easy, having to admit that whatever's wrong about your life someone is suffering more. As I thought about this today I compared myself to my friend who's been on the doles for decades, then compared him to a rough sleeper, then him to a starving African and finally I skipped across to a very rich but thoroughly unhappy man. Imagine being able to own everything but happiness? Down from him on the material ladder I could see an upper middle-class type who was never fully satisfied because with one more leap he could join the super-rich. 'Below' him are the middle-class masses but it's impossible to generalise about, or really surmise, their overall state of well-being because there are too many variants, likewise with the working class. Then I realised I was going about it all wrong talking about classes and groups because contentment and success are individual traits although any surveys done would no doubt reveal patterns, even patterns within patterns, such as working-class people in the North compared to the South and internationally one country to another. Now I'm regretting ever starting this comparative misery thing. Note to self: just be thankful. (This tune was always in my DJ box though the 80s and 90s. I liked to play it at the end of the night).

Typewriter Art/Vispo/Concrete Poetry: You Never Know / Thinking about thinking

 

RTomens, 2021

I was thinking about thinking. Now I'm thinking about thinking about thinking.

In bed this morning I thought it impossible to think about everything you say. Naturally? It's often advised that we should 'think before we speak'. A good idea, in theory. But I thought that if I thought about everything before saying it I'd become too self-conscious. Wouldn't we all. Granted, there are degrees of thought. A thought isn't a clearly definable thing with precise perimeters. Yes, we know what a thought is but can we define the nature of the thought? I mean the 'thing' we call a thought. We can barely describe what we think sometimes. 

It's best to think before saying anything on the social network. Yes, we've all been there; blurted something out and regretted it, then hit the Delete button. Sometimes it takes others to point out the folly of something we said. Then again, 'speaking' to names who are just names from all over the world is a weird phenomenon, isn't it? Who the hell is this person I'm getting into an argument with? Why do I care what they say? I'm often spontaneous in online conversations. I think that if I really gave it a lot of thought I'd never say a word. I'd be like those silent voyeurs.

Over-thinking is as bad when speaking or writing as it is in Art. That's easy for me to say since I work spontaneously, most of the time. I don't know why. I think it could be because I have to get the vision out of my system before it fades. By 'vision' I mean urge, really. I have these urges every day. I don't wish to sound...pretentious, but there it is - I mean, I don't like saying things like 'I NEED TO CREATE OR I WILL DIE!!!' That smacks too much of the notion that I am such a 'born' artist, you know? An artist to the core whose very being depends on making Art. I make no such grand claims.

That's what I think, anyway.

TTFN

10 Ways To Succeed As An Artist / 10 Ways To Remain An Obscure Artist

 

How duplicitous of me! I'm sorry, but I'm desperate for visitors. You know, the amount attracted by headlines like '10 Ways To Increase Blog Traffic', '10 Ways To Become Rich Quick' and '10 Ways To Be A Secret Trump Supporter' - that sort of thing. If I'm honest, I could write a genuine '10 Ways To Remain An Obscure Artist' post. In that, I am an expert. 

Apart from you, I do have one regular visitor. They frequently post comments about a service they offer but since I don't allow advertising I never publish them. Their thumbnail image shows a scantily-clad woman with what is, I must say, a very neatly trimmed beard. I'm sure 'her' service is a useful one. I feel a bit guilty since 'she' is so persistent...and beggars can't be choosers, but I have my limits.

I now feel inspired to provide an essential list which, I'm sure, will attract many visitors...

10 Ways To Remain An Obscure Artist

1. Be eclectic. By varying your styles and media people will not know how to categorise you and may suspect you of being schizophrenic.

2. Instead of painting, type Concrete Poetry. No-one understands it. And it's not Art.

3. Write about Concrete Poetry, Vispo, Typewriter Art.

4. Don't give useful tips. You don't have any anyway.

5. Don't obsessively post on Instagram. This, with the correct tags, can attract more followers.

6. Don't post much on Twitter either, not that Art gets much attention in the shadow of all-out warfare between SJWs and everyone else. 

7. Never use the word 'practice' when discussing (if you have to) your work.

8. If you went to Art college, pretend you didn't. Erase any sign of authority from your bio.

9. Avoid spreading your 'love' all over social media by 'liking' and gushing over every artist you happen to know even when you don't really like the piece they just posted. Such displays garner you 'likes' in return and could result in edging closer to recognition if, by chance, one such artist is connected to an influential curator. In other words, respond honestly, which means not responding.

10. Say you're a Trump supporter. A risky strategy because you may attract abuse, but you certainly won't be invited to exhibit...or dinner. You'll probably lose most art-friends too. 

That's that! You're welcome.

Typewriter art/Vispo/Concrete poetry: Ghost O Zone

RTomens, 2021

 

Ghost O Zone was created on the Remington Portable. The marks were made using carbon paper. I don't normally work on white paper but such are my finances, having no money coming in, I'm conscious of how much ink I use. The choice is usually between working on coloured paper or colouring it myself by printing the background. Today I thought it best to start working on white. Coloured paper is more expensive. 

TTFN

Vispo: I'm Not Sure / Visual Poetry On The Page exhibition, Norman, USA

 

RTomens, 2021

I'm not sure. About what? Vispo? Sometimes. You know I'm not keen on the term. I only really use it because it's popular and will attract enough people to make me a famous typewriter artist, as opposed to an elitist, a puritan who only calls his work 'Typewriter Art'. Ha-ha.

Concrete Poetry/Vispo is definitely on the up in terms of recognition. Take my word for it. I know. That's not wishful thinking. This year I expect major galleries around the world to have displays of contemporary typewriter artists.

Talking of galleries, here's my work currently on display in Norman, USA...

I hope it gets home safely. 

Typewriter art for sale: Keeping Out Of Mischief

RTomens, 2020

 

This typewriter art is for sale. price: £55 + £250 postage. A4 size on matt coated photo paper (120gsm)

Another in the 'precision' series of visual poetry typewriter pieces. As much as I like to improvise, let the words evolves under my loose guidance, I'm becoming more enamoured with controlled creations. Perhaps the title is apt. I'm acting as if I'm...in control? 

I do my best to keep out of mischief but, you know, it's hard. Part of me still wants to knock on doors in our street and run away, as we did when we were kids. Trouble is, these days, with the amount of gentrification around here, they probably have cameras. So I'd be walking down the street and someone would say "You knocked on our door and ran away!". Imagine the embarrassment. 

Typewriter art for sale: Rack My Mind / Precision in art (and life?)

 

This typewriter art is for sale. Price:£55 +£2.50 postage. Size: A4 on matt coated photo paper (120gsm).

Please note: the real colours are slightly different to those in the photo and scan. The deeper red in the framed shot is truer, the background is actually off-white.

A while back I began to explore a more precise way of constructing shapes with letters including simple geometric shapes. The circle is eternal, isn't it? I keep on returning to red too. The circle and frame are printed and their clean precision, in a way, set me a challenge of getting closer to precision myself. You know, in retrospect, this series could be a subconscious drive to create order in my life. By which I mean that somewhere inside me is an orderly, organised person just crying to get out? Maybe!

Vispo/Concrete Poetry/Drawing (for sale): Freedom Is Slavery / Orwell's house / Room 101

RTomens, 2021

 

This typewriter art is for sale. Price£45 + £2.50 postage. A4 on Ivory paper (90gsm)

I've just finished rereading George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and felt...compelled? Inspired? To use something from it, hence the slogan 'Freedom Is Slavery'. Yes, 'freedom' is a chore, or would be if we actually had it, I suppose. Virtually no-one is free - god is that profound? No. Everyone is 'bound' by something, eh? But, of course, like everything, freedom is relative. Even in lockdown we are freer than those living under oppressive dictatorships where the police would fine you just for taking a leisurely stroll miles from your house...er...hold on...we can't do that. How about a picnic in the park? No. Um...visit friends? No. Oh forget that idea then.

Surely 'Freedom Is Slavery' should be the governmental slogan of all countries locked down by the Chinese virus. But perhaps doublethink is a little too...profound...and let's face it, would confuse us even more than some of these lockdown rules. 

Anyway, we went for a walk on Hampstead Heath this morning and whilst returning to our bikes came across a place where George Orwell lived, 77 Parliament Hill. What a coincidence. And there was another. Whilst looking over a bridge on the heath I spied a rat scurrying through the undergrowth. As you know, Room 101 contains 'the worst thing in the world', according to each person unfortunate to end up there. In Winston Smith's case, it is rats. I don't know what I'd find in Room 101...possibly an advert for Grammarly that I can't skip after five seconds but must endure on a loop until I crack and become devoted to Big Brother.