Poetry Page 1962

Editor: So, this is Reva Urban's "Poetry Page" from 1962, a drawing, print and textile on paper using ink. It's quite minimal. My first thought is quietude and fragility—like a whispered secret. What draws your eye? Curator: It's that very sense of quietude, isn't it? The space around the text becomes just as important as the poem itself. Imagine holding this delicate paper, almost like grasping a fleeting thought. The 'canvas houses' and 'winged fingers' create such vivid imagery. I see a yearning, a grappling with grief and a desire for some higher peace. What do you make of that fragmented phrase 'ремемber me'? Editor: It disrupts the flow, doesn't it? It's almost like a ghost speaking through the poem. The mix of English and what looks like another language… Is it intentionally fragmented or maybe even misspelled? Curator: Precisely. Intention is everything here, isn't it? Maybe Urban's hinting at the way memory itself is often fractured and imperfect. The beauty emerges from those very imperfections, wouldn't you say? The lines 'descending helix bodies' are evocative, almost surreal, offering a strange blend of something biological with… what, an imagined spirit world? How would you describe its form? Editor: Cloud-like and dispersed? Each line has some meaning by itself. Seeing all of it combined creates this deep but calm sensation...it seems so natural. Is this sense of calmness a common theme with this artist? Curator: I wouldn't say every artwork created by the artist creates a sensation of calmness, however there are common traces across this particular collection of textile artwork such as surreal visual metaphors combined with real world occurances which adds to the sensation you mentioned. Overall, I think the impact that poetry can have on a viewer is more than often a deeply intimate experience between a viewer and author. I find that inspiring. Editor: This was incredibly helpful and insightful. I see it differently now.