Saturday, December 20, 2008

Introducing the Vanitas Blog! + Vanitas 3 Launch, September 10, 2008

Welcome to the blog for Vanitas! We are going to put up some actions relating to the publishing, and also open space for guest bloggers. Right now, I am writing from São Paulo, where we are, taking in some late afternoon light and Antarctica Cerveja Pilsen. Exciting recent events (that means this fall — Vanitas/Libellum embraces the slowness of life — as Rudy Burckhardt proposed, updating the ancient dictum, ars brevis, vita longa — more on slowness in the fullness of time, but digressions and interjections are extremely useful, v. Herodotus) — include the launch for Vanitas issue 3 at the Bowery Poetry Club; the publication of Basil King's In The Field Where Daffodils Grow; the appearance of Vanitas/Libellum at the Small Publishers Fair in London and the Editions/Artists Book Fair in NYC. Upcoming totally to be savored: the publication of Norma Cole's book of poems, Natural Light; issue 4 of Vanitas; and a book of new poems by Tom Clark.

To begin with the launch:
September 10, 2008 at the Bowery Poetry Club
Jack Pierson, Master of Ceremonies
Readings and Performances by

Elaine Equi
Cliff Fyman
Alix Lambert
Linda Herlihy reads Morgan Russell
Charles North
Raphael Rubinstein

Cyro Baptista percussion solo

Vincent, Isaac, Oliver Katz & Bob Holman with Cyro Baptista

It is the Popular Song issue, and there were great performances to be savored: Elaine reading her "Fool On The Hill" poem, Raphael reading his poems based on Ian Curtis and the Manchester sound; Morgan Russell's "Ginger Cat" read by Linda Herlihy; Charles North excellent, Cliff Fyman revealing; Alix Lambert read a tiny poem and screened a mysterious, underwater film with crescendoing sound. Cyro Baptista regaled us with a solo of his homemade percussion instruments, sampled and layered in a rainforest-like life-form. We had hoped for Susan Wheeler to join us to read her terrific "Penny Lane" poem, but traffic prevented her collaboration. She was missed.














Jack Pierson at Vanitas 3 Launch
















Elaine Equi reading at Vanitas 3 Launch





















Raphael Rubinstein reading at Vanitas 3 Launch

















Bob Holman & Cyro Baptista at Vanitas 3 Launch

















Raphael's Shoes!


More soon!