Klimt & Graham -- Intertwined Artists

Buchenwald, 1890.


Artists as a group are intertwined with one another, serving as inspiration for each other--this idea is depicted by the relationship between painter Gustav Klimt and poet Jorie Graham.

After looking at a collection of Klimt's work, I noticed each painting has a sensual and somewhat mysterious feel to it. Klimt seemed to inspired by music as well, as he named one of his paintings "Music" and another "Schubert at the Piano." Romance and sex seem to have served as inspiration for Klimt as well, as one of his most famous paintings, "The Kiss", depicts a man and woman locked in a romantic embrace, highlighted with vibrant colors. I was really moved by Klimt's work. Paintings, for me, have always been somewhat difficult to interpret--especially with the abstract artists. The colors and images Klimt uses really speak to me and I really enjoy looking at his artwork.

Graham's "Two Paintings by Gustav Klimt" discusses Klimt's paintings from a perspective as if the poet stepped into the painting herself. Buchenwald 1890, the painting above, is very different from the style I observed in Klimt's other collection of paintings. This makes me wonder why Graham chose this painting, as it has a much darker tone and a different focus. Graham looks at the trees as "something to lean on/that won't give way" (Graham 26-27). One of my favorite lines of the poem is "for right and wrong like pools/of shadow/and light you can step in/and out of/crossing this yellow beech forest". It is almost like Graham is using the forest as a metaphor for life and death, right and wrong. Graham goes on to discuss an unfinished painting discovered in Klimt's studio after his death. It depicted a "pornographic" image of a woman who was beginning to be covered by black fabric, with a tired smile. I am curious as to why Graham chose to discuss these two paintings, perhaps to contrast the sturdiness of the reliable beech trees and the uncertainty of sex and romance? I am still unsure.



Citations:

"The Klimt Collection". gustavklimtcollection.com. 2009. July 22, 2011. http://www.gustavklimtcollection.com/pages/main.html

"Two Paintings by Gustav Klimt". poetryfoundation.org. 2011. July 22, 2011. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/241994

Kenneth Koch "One Train May Hide Another"

Koch's "One Train May Hide Another" is a poem that discusses the many aspects of life, and through use of imagery, metaphor and allusion, Koch brings to life the scene he has created for his listeners.

This is an extremely powerful poem and Koch has done a beautiful job of incorporating all of the overlooked aspects of life in such a relatable way. Koch's imagery and diction is not overwhelming and extremely colorful, but it fits the poem in a way that any listener can connect on all levels, and that is what makes it extraordinary. Humor is incorporated by Koch, in the line, "In a family one sister may conceal another,/so, when you are courting, it is best to have them all in view" (line 8-9). At first glance, Koch is mentioning simplistic things, such as the dog concealing another dog or an identical twin hiding another. As the poem moves forward, it becomes clear that Koch is utilizing these examples as metaphors for a bigger life picture. Koch is aiming to relay the message that a first glance conceals the glances of many that you will not see if you don't pause to look twice, or three times, or maybe even a hundred times--this idea is portrayed in the powerful, final lines of the poem. Koch mentions love several times throughout this poem, first discussing how a father or brother could hide the man you're waiting to love, if you are a woman. Koch also says that "one love may hide another love, as when "I love you" suddenly rings false and one discovers the better love is lingering behind" (line 44-47). I think this is one of the strongest statements within the poem as it discusses something that I think everyone can relate to.

Koch alludes to several different subjects throughout the poem. The first is the "Appia Antica" (line 17-18) which is a road in Rome that the "followers of Spartacus were crucified" and also where "St. Peter is said to have met Jesus" (romefile.com). Gertrude Stein, a famous poet, is used in a simile to life, "Life is incredibly complex, as in the prose of Gertrude Stein" (line 26). Koch mentions the "Valley of the Var" (line 34), a spot in France--in this line Koch shares a personal piece of information with his listeners, "We used to live there, my wife and I, but one hid another life. And now she is gone and I am here" (line 34-35). Koch makes religious allusions to the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, and Jerusalem. He also mentions Matisse, a famous painter. The two books Koch mentions, "A Sentimental Journey" and "Tristam Shandy" are both stories that have no plot. In "A Sentimental Journey", there is a journey with no destination. In "Tristam Shandy", there is a hero who goes off on tangents and the story never goes anywhere. I wonder why he mentions these two books which are so similar in plot. Finally, Koch makes one last reference to the Santa Maria Maggiore--one of the major pieces of the papacy. I think Koch's goal in alluding to these major figures in the world and history is to show that no matter how large or small, no matter how important or unimportant something seems, it is always important to pause, and taking a glance behind what first comes to your eye.

Hearing Koch read his poem was so powerful to me. I felt this way with the Langston Hughes blog as well. It is so moving to hear a poet relay his work the way he would want his listeners to hear it, read it, and picture it. Koch reading the poem painted a much more beautiful picture and message than the one I would have received if I had just read it on my own. I think hearing a poet read their work is such an important and moving part of the artwork they create.


Citations:

Gertrude Stein. poets.org. July 15, 2011.

Via Appia Antica. romefile.com. July 15, 2011.

Tristam Shandy. elab.com. July 15, 2011.

Poetry coming alive through videos and speakers is very interesting and forces the reader to view the poetry through a different perspective. This video is particularly striking because of the carefully chosen images, music, and the tone of the speaker. The images are old fashioned and really catapult the viewer back into the time where Hughes wrote this poem. This helps in an understanding of what Hughes was seeing and feeling. I particularly liked how the images matched the lines in the poems, specifically when the musician was tapping his foot during the line, "thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor".

The music is a subtle but essential additive in making this piece come alive. I thought the piano was particularly beautiful and complimented the speaker, images, and poem.

Lastly, the speaker did a beautiful job of portraying the meaning behind this poem. His voice and tone were perfect and he made you feel like you were really in the moment with this man while he tells this story.

Overall, I thought the video was really beautiful and I really enjoyed watching it.