The Last Novel by David Markson

David Markson's The Last Novel is composed entirely of short, one to three sentence factoids, reflections, and allusions, usually about historical and contemporary high cultural figures, that are separated one from another by a blank line. There are no conventional chapters, plots, settings, or characters, except for "Author," who appears in the third person in about 30 of the shorts." Jefferson Hansen, Experimental Fiction & Poetry Link

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July 23rd

John Wilkinson joins the line up for the next Openned Night on July 23rd. More on the Nights page.

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still more Conceptual Poetry

'I have seen several comments and discussions stemming from the notion of a conceptual poetry that begin with references to conceptual art. Previous to the Conceptual Poetry and Its Others symposium, I also wondered if the work of conceptual artists, particularly the privileging in much of their work of language and idea and statements about art and art context, over visual works, would be some kind of model for conceptual poetry. Now I would say that, nearly unequivocally, "no."' Link

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The longest concert in the world

'Its organisers call it the longest concert in the world. Almost seven years in, and with 632 years left, it is unlikely anyone will challenge the claim. On Saturday a performance by the late avant-garde American composer John Cage inched to its sixth chord change since it began in the medieval church of St Burchardi in the German town of Halberstadt in Saxony Anhalt in September 2001. "ORGAN2/ASLSP As Slow aS Possible", a 4.07 metre-long score which would stretch to an estimated 47,000 kilometres in its elongated form, originally took a mere 29 minutes and 15 seconds to perform when it was premiered in 1987. Believe it or not, it has become one of the most talked about events of the German cultural calendar. The weekend's change to C4-A flat4 which happened at precisely 3.33pm, attracted about 1,000 spectators including Cage fans.' Link

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The Continental Review

'Welcome to the internet's first video-only forum for contemporary poetry and poetics. The Continental Review aims to be: (1) A forum for video readings of new poetry (2) A forum for diverse poetic/cinematic/multi-media experiences 3) A forum for video interviews and filmed discussions on poetics With close to 50 videos featured in its archives, the vision is to provide a haven for original video readings, video poetry and hybrid poetic-imagistic objects. The Continental Review, in its (re)embodied real-time, thus aims to become the primary stop for video content related to contemporary poetry and poetics on the web.' Link

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Tidbits #3

Mathematical Poetry Animation Backgrounds Such is the silence of writing Ron Mueck: Hyper-Realist Sculptor

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July 23rd

Sascha Akhtar, Sean Bonney and Frances Kruk and Scott Thurston will be reading at the next Openned Night. Check the Nights page for more information.

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Visual Thinking

Douglas Coupland: 'Here’s another question I was recently asked: when I see words in my mind, what font are they in? The answer: Helvetica. What font do you think in? It’s a strange question, but you know what I’m getting at: how do you see actual words in your head as you think? Or do you see words at all? Is it a voice in your head? Do you see subtitles?'

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William Burroughs cut-ups

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NU3dIdqIBw] via DBC

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Benjamin Penguin

Penguin's new front cover for Benjamin's The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.

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