The Gallery
B.L Kennedy Nov 12, 2017 Bio: B.L. Kennedy has published his poetry since the age of ten. Kennedy holds an MFA in Literature, Writing and Poetics from Naropa Institute. Among his books in print are “Jim Morrison Visits Disneyland” (1982), “Thelema Cries” (1987), Setich Manor Poems (1992), Setich Manor Poems Revisited (2006), Conversations Vol 1-6 (2004-2006), Measured Steps (2006), Been Born Bronx (2007). He was the editor of Bombay Gin in (1990-1992), Landing Signals: A Sacramento Poetry Anth
B.L Kennedy Nov 12, 2017 Bio: B.L. Kennedy has published his poetry since the age of ten. Kennedy holds an MFA in Literature, Writing and Poetics from Naropa Institute. Among his books in print are “Jim Morrison Visits Disneyland” (1982), “Thelema Cries” (1987), Setich Manor Poems (1992), Setich Manor Poems Revisited (2006), Conversations Vol 1-6 (2004-2006), Measured Steps (2006), Been Born Bronx (2007). He was the editor of Bombay Gin in (1990-1992), Landing Signals: A Sacramento Poetry Anth
B.L Kennedy Nov 12, 2017 Bio: B.L. Kennedy has published his poetry since the age of ten. Kennedy holds an MFA in Literature, Writing and Poetics from Naropa Institute. Among his books in print are “Jim Morrison Visits Disneyland” (1982), “Thelema Cries” (1987), Setich Manor Poems (1992), Setich Manor Poems Revisited (2006), Conversations Vol 1-6 (2004-2006), Measured Steps (2006), Been Born Bronx (2007). He was the editor of Bombay Gin in (1990-1992), Landing Signals: A Sacramento Poetry Anth
B.L. Kennedy’s “picture poems” ask the viewer to ask themselves, which came first, the artwork or the poem? The answer, in each case, is a veritable Rorschach Test; whichever way you look at it has more to do with you than the creator.
Writing and artwork has really had the longest history you can imagine. Whether it’s the Hieroglyphics, Obelisks or Illuminated Bibles of the ancient days, the automatic writing produced by spiritualists, the collage work of modern (and postmodern) Surrealists and Dadaists (and the next generation inspired by them, as incarnated in 1970’s No Wave and punk artwork), the glossolia of 1950’s (and later 1980s) pop art mock advertising artwork, and the most recent incarnation of social media ‘artwork’, mass produced for mass view on Pinterest and Instagram, words and images, while possibly exclusive from one another, are also a mass match made in heaven. Whether they are in direct harmony or in direct discord from each other, words and images have a relationship.
B.L. Kennedy’s artwork draws first, most directly from the tradition of Kenneth Patchen’s painted poems. He’s been known to draw and write them at poetry readings and events, whether while waiting to read on an open mic or hosting said open mic.
So when you look at, view, or read (depending on your perspective) Kennedy’s work, ask yourself whether you the artwork inspired the writing, the writing inspired the artwork, or a third mind got in the middle and made everything a lot more complicated.