Visual Poetry Research Articles

Simpel oder anspruchsvoll? Konkrete Poesie und Elfchen im DaF-Unterricht

In this paper, we intend to draw attention to the linguistic, cultural and historical aspects of two types of poems popular in German, the so-called Konkrete Poesie and Elfchen, their different forms, as well as their application to teaching a foreign language (here German). Konkrete Poesie (i.e. concrete or visual poetry) has its own literary tradition, and although it was not originally designed for foreign language teaching, it proves effective in this respect. It requires learners to interpret apparently simple texts creatively, which is always linked to the reflection on the interplay between the poem’s visual layout and its overall message. Elfchen, otherwise Elf-Worte-Gedicht (i.e. eleven-word poem), is a type of poetry derived from early childhood education. Applied in German-speaking countries since the late 1980s, it has been successfully transferred to foreign language teaching. Its main purpose is to encourage creative writing and interpretation of short lyrical pieces. The examples discussed show that these distinct lyrical forms can enrich foreign language teaching at different levels of proficiency.

ПОСТАТЬ ГРИГОРІЯ СКОВОРОДИ І СКОВОРОДИНСЬКІ СМИСЛИ В ПОЕЗІЇ ОЛЕКСІЯ СОФІЄНКА

In this research, the works with the Skovoroda theme were analyzed, written by the talented poet from Kaniv, Oleksii Sofiyenko (1952-2011). Considering the relative little-known status of the writer, the study contains basic biographical information about him. O. Sofiyenko’s poetic language is analyzed in sufficient detail based on all six of his collections; its metaphorical saturation and complexity, intellectuality, problem-thematic richness, versification variety and mastery are noted. The poet’s formal and substantive experimentation, the originality of his visual poetry as an echo of baroque stylistics, is especially emphasized, which to some extent brings Sofiyenko’s work closer to baroque features in the works of Hryhorii Skovoroda. Other possible typological similarities between the works of Skovoroda and Sofiyenko are noted, namely, the philosophical and expressive saturation of the contemporary artist’s poetic texts with biblical, religious, and spiritual imagery and symbolism. It is also noted that O. Sofiyenko’s semantically and figuratively complicated poetry requires active reader cooperation and empathy. Other semantic contexts, particularly stylistic ones, of this poet’s works are indicated. The article focuses on the analysis of O. Sofiyenko’s poem “Apostle of Freedom”, written on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the death of Hryhorii Skovoroda (1994) and published only in the poet’s posthumous collection “Singing Blood” (2013). Detailed attention is paid to the structuring of the poem and its versification pattern, to the realization of the key idea of the work in it - the idea of will (in H. Skovoroda’s - freedom), to the semantics of the concept of will in the world of chaos (“hell of will”) and in the harmonized world (“infinity of will”). It is noted that, according to O. Sofiyenko, world harmony is realized to a large extent by the confession of humanistic values, including spiritual and religious values, through the idea of God. The evolution of imagery and tonality of the poem is traced. Considerable attention of the study was paid to the analysis of other “Skovoroda” poems in O. Sofiyenko’s collections (“Skovoroda”, “Truth”, “Happiness”, “Create Yourself”, etc.), to the semantics artistically reproduced in them, as well as to epigrams and intertexts “from Skovoroda” in the works of a modern poet.

Visual poetry in search of an intermediate source

Visual poetry in search of an intermediate source

О НЕКОТОРЫХ ОСОБЕННОСТЯХ ХУДОЖЕСТВЕННОГО МИРА ЛЕОНИДА АРОНЗОНА

The article analyses some features and variations of the use of various means of poetic language in the work of the Soviet uncensored poet Leonid Aronzon (1939–1970). Even despite the fact that most of his poems were written in accordance with all the norms of traditional syllabic-tonic versification, the author in his texts actively experiments with the use of certain means of language, exercises in the word and form creation, often creates new words and various sentences, devoid of a semantic layer, uses borrowings from foreign languages, ready-made quotations from other literary works, abusive or obscene vocabulary that is not recognized as the norm of the literary language, adapts phrases and other components of syntax to foreign or Russian forms. In some cases, he also experimented with visual poetry, non-standard graphic presentation of the text, trying to achieve, as far as possible, its ideal symmetry in writing. The examples of the use of certain means of poetic language considered in this article, their definition and systematization, allow the reader to better understand how the artistic world of the author works.

A Cognitive View of "Pandemic Meditation" (A Mathematical Visual Poem)

Mathematical visual poetry is a poetic genre whereby metaphorical expressions are created using mathematical structures. Within the structure, the poetics are understood by the cross-mapping of numerous conceptual domains including visual, lexical, and mathematical. Here I focus on one particular mathematical visual poetic structure: what I call a Similar Triangles Poem or Proportional Poem. To illustrate the ideas discussed, I present "Pandemic Meditations," a mathematical visual poem; in particular I discuss how this mathematical poem uses the mechanisms of poetic metaphor in the context of the embodied mind. The intent of this paper is not to explain "Pandemic Meditation," for explanations of poetry serve only to kill it. Instead, the intent here is to give the reader the tools to access similar triangles poems in general, and this expression in particular, and to show how it functions within the definitions of poetic metaphor. This paper can be used as a template to study all similar triangles visual poems, and more generally, as a source to study visual poetry.

Poesia visual em sala de aula: um relato sobre a prática no programa Residência Pedagógica

This work focused on the presentation of the activities developed in the scope of intervention for the Pedagogical Residence project, in the context of a third year high school class of a state school, which dealt with the theme of visual poetics in the axis of the modernist experience in Brazil. In this sense, there was a diachronic approach, from modernism – pointing out its phases and, specially, paying attention to the poetics interested in the development of visual components, such as those from João Cabral de Melo Neto, from Pernambuco – to the concrete poetry, a movement that will be responsible for proposing a possible horizon, wich is conventionally called visual poetry. Together with the literary discussions, we worked with the genre critical review, to enable students to develop a written production about the documentary Poetas de campos e espaços (1992), the final activity of the sequence. Given the pandemic scenario by which the world was challenged, the classes were organized in two axes: regular and online classes, as the experience took place in a hybrid model. In the first case, the meetings in the classroom were organized in the expository-dialogue model, while in the second, the aid of the youtube platform was used to broadcast recorded classes.

Поэтический текст как способ организации пространства города

Since the sixties of the twentieth century, different algorithms for using poetic texts in the transformation of urban space have emerged. Poetic discourse is being increasingly contextualized in space, whose role in the contemporary cultural system and specific tasks of urbanism has been growing. In the urban context, poetry may acquire different forms — street performances, advertisements, murals and other types of visual poetry. It may turn the city into a venue for a festival of urban poetry. The poetic text interacts with urban objects (monuments, train stations, airports, bus stops, and benches), including QR codes and other technical means. The article explores the process of integrating poetic texts into urban space using the example of the Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Spain and countries of Latin America. Urban poetry contributes to overcoming the linearity and elitism of the poetic text, shifting the emphasis from verbal to the visual or performative component of the text, and strengthening the function of the addressee. As a result, poetry acquires an applied character. The city becomes an instrument of mediated poetic communication and can be used for the representation of the city.

Creative Arts Therapies to Enhance Mental Health Over the Course of Aging: Research and Implications

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in ageist attitudes and psychological distress and loneliness among older people. The social isolation exacerbated the intergenerational segregation between young and older adults, and has also been expressed within families, since grandparents could not meet their grandchildren in person. The present study involved an intergenerational music intervention, as a vehicle to bridge the gap between grandparents and grandchildren at the COVID-19 pandemic. 41 grandparents aged 56-80, and 45 grandchildren aged 9.9-11.8 took part. Of these, 21 pairs of grandparents and grandchildren participated in a weekly online intergenerational zoom music therapy group for eight weeks, and the rest constituted a waitlist-controlled group. All participants completed the same questionnaires during the same time periods before and after the intervention. The results point to the effectiveness of participation in the sessions in improving intergenerational connections and psychological well-being, and in reducing ageist attitudes and loneliness.

Introducing the Visual Art through Concrete Poetry in the EFL Classroom: A Case Study

Teaching poetry offers the teacher of literature some basic and active ways to engage students in learning English because of poetry’s rich language which represents an opportunity for learners to explore meanings and be able to formulate creative responses. One must be aware of the fact that poetry includes various types which differ in forms, and each one of these may have a particular influence on students? learning literature; that is why one centralized the research area on concrete poetry or what is called visual poetry too. This study aims to teach students not only to read and listen to a poem but to develop the skill of creativity through rewriting and this ability would be provoked by the visual shape of the concrete poem. One is trying to bring fun in the EFL classroom and particularly during the literature lecture where students are probably bored by analyzing every line and stanza. So, all these aims were to be concrete via a test, observation and questionnaire. These scientific tools confirmed one’s hypotheses about how positive is concrete poetry for the group of the third-year English L.M.D. students at the University of Djilali Liabes, Sidi Bel Abbes

Science calligrams: A contemporary science communication perspective

Visual poetry (vispo) sits across a spectrum between visual art and poetry, offering a means of multimodal communication within the one artform. The calligram – a vispo subtype whereby the shape of text reflects the text’s semantics – may be well suited to communicating scientific topics. This is because science is complex, experimental, and observational: it involves graphs, diagrams, morphology, microscopic images, chemical structures, and more. Contemporary books containing science calligrams include Crystallography (1994) and The Xenotext: Book 1 (2015) by Christian Bök. Throughout these collections, Bök displays intricate calligrams based on chemical structures, astronomy, and fractals. Recently, I have shared my own science calligrams through various outlets including exhibitions, journals, and a chapbook. In this scholarly article, I describe science calligrams in the contemporary context with reference to both my own pieces and works by poets who have inspired me. I explore how science calligrams draw upon scientific concepts and images to communicate science to the general public. In doing so, I argue that blending science, poetry, and visual art may reveal innovative creative directions for contemporary poets, help sustain vispo as a genre, and contribute to the interdisciplinary field of science communication.

An Autoethnographic Performance: The Researcher’s Story of Hysterectomy and Menopause as Act of Resistance and Activism

One year after beginning a large-scale research inquiry into how young people construct their identities I became ill and subsequently underwent abdominal surgery which triggered an early menopause. The process which was experienced as creatively bruising called to be written as “Artful Autoethnography” using visual images and poetry to tell a “vulnerable, evocative and therapeutic” story of illness, menopause, and their subject positions in intersecting relations of power. The process which was experienced as disempowering called to be performed as an act of resistance and activism. This performance ethnography is in line with the call for qualitative inquirers to move beyond strict methodological boundaries. In particular, the voice of activism in this performance is in the space between data (human voice and visual art pieces) and theory. To this end, and in resisting stratifying institutional/medical discourse, the performance attempts to create a space for a merger of ethnography and activism in public/private life.

So Many Silenced, So Many Unnamed, an excerpt

So Many Silenced, So Many Unnamed (SMS/SMU) is part of the ‘Vispo Bible’, a life’s work I began in 2015 to translate every book, chapter and verse of the Bible into visual poetry. I have translated over 330 pages of the Old and New Testaments so far. The goals of SMS/SMU are to celebrate and centre women, their resilience and strength, their accomplishments and their lives, to grieve for and remember those who have been unnamed, murdered and those who are missing, to support and show solidarity with women who are currently the targets of online bullying and cyberstalking; challenging the hateful and harmful attitudes that continue to exist about women while foregrounding the textilic aspect of language; how language itself is material.

Cacofonia e Obscenidade na Poesia Visual de E. M. de Melo e Castro

The purpose of this article is to study one visual poem of the Portuguese poet E. M. de Melo e Castro. We assume that innovates within the genre by using the camonian cacophony for creating a obscene poem. For this purpose, we divide our work into two parts. In the first, we will make a brief presentation of visual poetry and we'll see how it has spread through Portugal. In the second, we analyze the poem discussing their relationship with the poetry of Camoes and your obscene character.

Autopoetics of sound and signs

Autopoetics aims to create poetry which doesn’t rely on language and its known grammatical-syntactical structure. It is an attempt to overcome the limitations of currently known linguistic territories which are inadequate for artistic communication through simple and non-purely-verbal poetic forms (e.g. visual poetry, Signalism). Autopoetics doesn’t arise from the act of will and consciousness but from the space of the preconscious impulse; from the time and place before knowledge. With autopoetics, the poetess attempts to create a world, from the beginning, and not only to explain it. Autopoetics which shies away from language, creates a cosmic poetry that addresses everyone and isn’t constrained by the borders of language, nationalism(s), or cultures. Thus autopoetics explores the possibility of strengthening the sensuous experience, of creating a deeper involvement in poetic sensibility through a reduction of constraints of language.

Susan Howe’s Caesurae

Readings of Susan Howe’s visual poetry tend to focus on how she uses the space of the page to act on language, through an opposition, then, between the visual and the textual. This paper argues that Howe’s works are specified precisely by the way they obscure the line between what is and is not linguistic. The paper looks into the ways in which Susan Howe’s poems, specifically in her recent collection Debths, depend on and work with the line unit, use and abuse our sense that poems appear in typographic lines. Three examples from Debths look at problems raised by the various ways in which Howe scissors the line, arguing that the line is a place where something happens to language, a frame for a caesura, a space where a silence can take place—as seen in the book’s title. Syntax and its caesuring then “make” the line, a line which works as a way of intimating voice, exploring the interstices of language and body.

Visual Poetry and Connections with Plastic Arts

Visual Poetry and Connections with Plastic Arts

Multilevel grounded semantics across cognitive modalities: Music, vision, poetry

This article extends the author’s theory of multilevel grounding in meaning generation from its original application to music to the domains of visual cognition and poetry. Based on the notions of ground from the philosophy of language and conceptual blending from cognitive linguistics, the approach views semiosis in works of art as a series of successive mappings couched in a set of six hierarchical, recursive levels of constraint or grounding boxes: (1) perceptual, parsing the stimulus into formal gestalten; (2) cross-modal, motivating schematic correspondences between the stimulus so structured and the listener’s embodied experience; (3) affective, ascribing to this embodied appreciation dynamic sensations, as in the distinction between tense and lax parts of the perceptual flow; (4) conceptual, drawing analogies between such schematic and affective appreciation and elementary experiential imagery, resulting in outlines of narratives; (5) culturally rich, checking such a narrative outline against the recipient’s cultural knowledge; and (6) individual, adding to the levels above idiosyncratic recollections from the participant’s personal experience. The goal of the analysis is to show that the interpretation of constructs from different semiotic modes (music, vision and language) may rely on the same grounding levels as it ultimately depends on the same perceptual, embodied and contextual circumstances. Specifically, the article uses the system to analyse the possible reception of a section from the romance for violin and orchestra ‘The Lark Ascending’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams, the painting ‘The Last Supper’ by Leonardo da Vinci and the poem ‘No Man Is an Island’ by John Donne.

ВИЗУАЛЬНАЯ ПОЭЗИЯ КАК ИГРА

The article analyzes XX century visual poetry as a game phenomenon. The relevance of this research is explained by an attempt to expand the boundaries of binary perception of visual poetry as a synthesis of verbal and visual media. Visual poetry is a subject of cultural analysis and is seen as a complex multilevel semiotic structure, which is a comprehensive multisensory cultural text that combines the nature of verbal, visual, auditory, kinetic, synesthetic, spatial and other media. Visual poetry is considered in terms of intermediality, which is a special type of intertextual relations of different media in the system of a single cultural text. This article uses intermedial analysis to examine one of the many media of visual poetry: the game medium. Visual poetry incorporates game at several levels at once: at the stage of the idea and the origin of the idea, at the stage of implementing this idea, as well as at the stage of interpreting the resulting work. The study examines visual poetry patterns that use game aspects at the stage of creating or interpreting a work. In particular, the article considers the game in the poetry of blackout, Dadaism, mixed visual forms (calligraphemes and drawings), stutters and other forms of visual poetry. The results of the research confirm that the phenomenon of the game finds its expression in various forms of the XX century visual poetry. In addition to this, the analysis shows the importance of the game medium as part of the complex intermediate structure which finds its expression in the visual poetry of the XX century.

"ЕСТЕТИЧНЕ" І "ЗМІСТОВЕ" СУЧАСНОЇ ТУРЕЦЬКОЇ ЛІТЕРАТУРИ: ЗОРОВА ПОЕЗІЯ Ю.БАЛА

The literary-critical study is devoted to the work of the master of Turkish visual poetry, Yusuf Bal, and contains a short excursion into the history of the development of Turkish literature in the late 20th – early 21st centuries and discussions about the visual literary works of this period. The main direction in the Turkish literature of the mentioned period is determined – postmodernism, represented by various modifications and its inherent specifics. In this context, the state of visual poetry in modern Turkish literature is considered; special attention is paid to the poetry of Y. Bal. The main features of the poetic heritage of Y. Bal are determined, a classification of his visual poems is proposed, the inner content and the outer shell of his works are analysed, the weighted "aesthetic" and "substantial" of the poetry of the Turkish author. Considering that in Turkey, modern visual poetry is presented in two types: 1) poetry, full of meaning and aesthetic design; 2) works in which visualization prevails, and the text core is either absent or only partially present, the work of Y. Bal is attributed to the first type, after all, the analysis of the works themselves, and the acquaintance with the interview given by the author, is evidence of the depth of the poetic word with its no less profound and talented visual framing. The theme of Yusuf Bal's works is as social and close to people as possible, the author's speech is not distinguished by excessive pretentiousness, rhythm and partial rhyme are inherent in his poetry, which makes his style even more relaxed and easy to understand. As a conclusion, the work of Y. Bal is a postmodern continuation of the centuries-old tradition of creating visual poetry, demonstrates the author's ability to combine content with an image, sometimes creating intrigue, a riddle, and can be an example to follow.

Elements of Animate and Inanimate Nature in the Practice of Avadhāna

This paper focuses on the practice of avadhāna, which is based on highly developed cognitive skills (ability to concentrate, memory) and showcasing of manifold strengths and knowledge during partially improvised spectacles. Various challenges to be met involve the elements of animate and inanimate nature. The main purpose of the article is to investigate the occurrence of these components and their role in the avadhāna, as well as to examine the possible sources of specialised knowledge in equinology (aśvaśāstra), elephant lore (gajaśāstra) and visual poetry (citrakāvya) required from the avadhāna performers.