Caroline Bagenal
Poems

2004

Pine and black paint

Originally commissioned for ReVisited

Artist's Statement
This sculpture is a tribute to the poet e.e. cummings, whose gravesite is nearby. The complex union of the visual and aural in cummings’ poetry, his strong sense of design and unconventional use of typography, and his playful placement of words across the page all suggested a sculptural interpretation to me. I was interested in transforming the poems into objects that engage us physically as we move around them. Through this sculpture, I sought to transpose the horizontal breaks and distinctive rhythms of his poetry into three dimensions.

I was also curious to see in what ways an outdoor context would enrich how we read his poems. cummings’ poetry often celebrates an intense encounter with nature. In the setting of Forest Hills, viewers can connect with the beauty and spirit of nature while actively exploring and reading the poems. By placing these poems in this setting I hope to generate a dialogue between word and object, image and reality. I hope the poet would approve.

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