Hi Mim, Karl was talking about aesthetics. Think of writing a poem that's quite formal in nature and then throwing in some slang. His concern was whether the two different styles of imagery reinforce each other, make sense together, look visually interesting. I think that his concern is well placed though I may not agree with it. It's just the same as if someone had questions about using two very distinct ways of dealing with language in a poem. I remember thinking something similar about one of David Ferry's translation -- was the phrase he chose too contemporary. But that was just one tiny instant of note that I consider jarring. I am opposing two very distinct visual styles that may or may compliment each other. Karl wasn't thinking about the difference in my age in the separate photographs.
"My Suffolk Downs" was just published by Pressed Wafer and Kat Ran Press, photographs and poems. A chapbook, "The Real Story," can be ordered at www.finishinglinepress.com. I've been doing a great deal of community work, short videos (29 so far, and photographs during the last year in Chelsea and in Lawrence.
I was a photographer for a thousand years, specializing in personal work, documentary. Now I write and work in video with a few photographs thrown in on the side. My website is www.melissashook.com
I disagree with Karl Baden. Aging is not a series of coherent images or experiences.
ReplyDeleteHi Mim,
ReplyDeleteKarl was talking about aesthetics. Think of writing a poem that's quite formal in nature and then throwing in some slang.
His concern was whether the two different styles of imagery reinforce each other, make sense together, look visually interesting. I think that his concern is well placed though I may not agree with it.
It's just the same as if someone had questions about using two very distinct ways of dealing with language in a poem.
I remember thinking something similar about one of David Ferry's translation -- was the phrase he chose too contemporary. But that was just one tiny instant of note that I consider jarring.
I am opposing two very distinct visual styles that may or may compliment each other. Karl wasn't thinking about the difference in my age in the separate photographs.