I see my mind as a tapestry woven through with memories, dreams and thoughts.

Friday 4 June 2010

Consider this





Industrial landscapes - 'blots on the horizon'? Eccentric characters, out of place? Beacons slotted in to the environment, to provoke?

As with all things, it depends on the eye and on the perception.
for me, there is a certain beauty in line, texture and contrasts within industrial landscape. I am fascinated into photographing industrial scenes. Sometimes, I capture them in oils, or in poetry.

My initial fascination was awakened by Stephen Spender's poem 'Pylons'. Phrases such as - 'Bare like nude giant girls that have no secret,' - 'Like whips of anger' - 'the quick perspective of the future.' - 'So tall with prophecy' - 'Dreaming of cities'
Pylons were considered rather shocking when they first appeared.

Later, in Philip Larkin's 'The Whitsun Weddings' the fleeting descriptions of 'passing' industrial landscape mirrored my journeys between London and Newcastle upon Tyne.

I leave you with some tasters and welcome your comments.













Wreck

Redundant hulk, with open sores
and porthole eye that's weeping rust,
dies at the jetty-edge of a tidal inlet
where salt water slaps the shore and
bladder wrack's globular gleam reflects
the glinting sun. A landed whale of a
tug, angled against mountain backdrop,
left to rot.
No glare of oxyacetylene torch, nor roar;
no dead ring of sheet metal nor sound
of rivets driven firmly home can
replace your fabric. The shipyard gate is
locked, welders gone. Skills rusting,
they too sit out their time.



6 comments:

K said...

I love the way in which both pieces of text, personify such solid structures. Particularly the 2nd piece 'Wreck', is reminiscent of the shipyard workers, who are no longer deemed useful now that the shipyard has closed. This is an interesting post.

aguja said...

Thanks Spangle! I wrote that poem over ten years ago. It maybe doesn't look like a poem as the photo has distorted the lines a little, but ...

Dulçe ♥ said...

Art is everything seen with artistic eyes... that's what I get to see and feel here

Thanks for your comment in my blog
Happy Tuesday!

aguja said...

And to you, Dulce!

My Castle in Spain said...

Funnily last week, i was pondering whether i would be happy if i lived in an industrial city,say in the North of France, with grey sky and mines in the horizon. I think not...although i admit perspective and an artistic mind do change the aspect of things...Your painting for instance conveys lots of emotion!

aguja said...

Oddly, I too, from time to time, have wondered if I could live with industrial horizons and city streets, but the answer, after imagining it, is always 'No'. They fascinate, but I need to be immersed in nature and to feel that I can breathe freely.
Thnak you for your comments!