The Poetry Jukebox
I was back in Gallery 2 for the second Poetry Jukebox, this week, inviting visitors to choose a poem on the theme of light – and then performing them, live and unrehearsed – whilst the lights of Cerith Wyn Evans’ S=U=P=E=R=S=T=R=U=C=T=U=R=E turned on and off. Over the course of three hours – I performed to 53 people. That’s a lot of poems!
“Hearing the poem was quite an experience,” said Lisa, who was visiting with a group of friends, “I walked past the art and thought – I don’t get that. But when I went and sat and felt the lights going on and off, it gave it a different feel.”
As this was the last Poetry Jukebox at the De La Warr, I also composed a poem especially for the event, borrowing text from the exhibition catalogue – rather in the way that Cerith Wyn Evans borrows words by Guy De Bord and Jimi Hendrix in the art works on show in the Pavilion. The resulting video-poem is called s_u_p_e_r_c_o_n_d_u_c_t_o_r and explores the theme of longing. So hit the play button, and enjoy the poetry jukebox one last time…