A note on - Hard to Read : an exhibition at Rich Mix

HARD TO READ
Paint Poems, Poet Portraits, Pansemia : an exhibition by SJ Fowler
December 9th 2017 to january 15th 2018 at Rich Mix Gallery
www.poembrut.com/hard-to-read
35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA (downstairs from the Indigo Cafe) 

Once we understand excess, then we can get really simple.
                                                                           Robert Rauschenberg

From the gallery "Collecting together the art poetry of SJ Fowler, this solo exhibition aims to pose several questions of the poem as a concrete, visual thing in the world. What is in the shape of a letter and what images do words recall? What is the meaning of colour in poetry and text upon the page, and white space? How does the situation of a poem change its meaning? Why is composition not a concept that applies to a medium that is innately visual? In literature, why has content overwhelmed context? Why has product dominated process? HARD TO READ poses these questions and answers them poorly, playfully, with over 40 original works drawn from multiple publications and previous exhibitions - works that interrogate handwriting, abstraction, illustration, asemic and pansemic writing, scribbling, crossings out, forgotten notes, strange scrawls - the odd interaction between paper and pen, and pencil, and coloured words that randomly collide with image recalling words."

Special view performance event : January Saturday 13th - Rich Mix Gallery : Free Entry - 7.30pm www.poembrut.com/gallery featuring Paul Hawkins, Imogen Reid, Christian Patracchini, Patrick Cosgrove, Mischa Foster Poole, SJ Fowler and more.

Part of Poem Brut, supported by Arts Council England.

Pictures by Alexander Kell http://www.alexanderkell.com/