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Destroy in Order to Create

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To make a Dadaist poem:

* Take a newspaper.
* Take a pair of scissors.
* Choose an article as long as you are planning to make your poem.
* Cut out the article.
* Then cut out each of the words that make up this article and put them in a bag.
* Shake it gently.
* Then take out the scraps one after the other in the order in which they left the bag.
* Copy conscientiously.
* The poem will be like you.
* And here you are a writer, infinitely original and endowed with a sensibility that is charming though beyond the understanding of the vulgar.

- Tristan Tzara

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Tweedle-Dee

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I am still home from work waiting for the Scottish NHS to discover what's up with me. Ms 4thEd (formerly known as Ms Bookish) is getting sick and tired of being, well, tired and sick, I tell you. In the meantime I am reading editorials on the US not-quite-but-almost election. I am reading books. I am occasionally cooking (when I'm not exhausted). I am getting twitchy.

I can't even write a proper, entertaining blog post anymore. Boo.

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Public Writing

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One of my current preoccupation is the idea of public writing - that is, writing/lettering/typography found in public places and spaces. I take photos whenever I see somebody doing something interesting - whether they be commissioned or non-commissioned pieces. I have even tentatively put together a small Flickr-set of some of my photos. One of my favourite examples stem from my erstwhile hometown of Copenhagen, Denmark. I was walking along a wall when I noticed the street name elaborately carved into the bricks. Above the carved brick you had the traditional blue-white street sign with the same name. Two centuries of labelling streets in one go. I was excited by the juxtapositions: permanence vs. easily replaced and serif vs sans-serif. I was also excited by how the contemporary street sign had been placed higher than the carved brick as if to exercise its dominance, its importance.

One of my Scottish friends, Fi, works as a curator and we recently spoke about the concept of public lettering and writing. Fi mentioned that the first thing was sprung to her mind was the Scottish Parliament's Canongate Wall. It is absolutely fascinating: various stones with quotes on Scottish identity and history are inserted into an outer wall, so anybody walking along the street will be asked to reflect upon Scotland, art and identity. Even the pavement has slates engraved with sentences. And, as I agreed with Fi, that is really a great example of public space and writing being combined to great effect.

And then you have non-commissioned stuff like graffiti and posters and random notes put up in windows..

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Turning the Page

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Ah, 2008. How wonderful to start off a new year with being unwell (hence the 'no update' bit). I spent most of New Year's Eve in hospital and have spent all of 2008 (so far) being unwell. This ranks as possibly the least promising start to a year.

But I am at home in my pyjamas, alas. I drink (decaf!) coffee, sleep a lot and read when I am awake. I'm currently making my way through the latter stages of Sarah Waters's The Night Watch which has proven substantial enough to keep me interested and lightweight enough to allow me to sleep when I need it.

Here's to 2008 improving.