A Season in Hell by Arthur Rimbaud

The Poem





The book of poems "A Season in Hell" by Arthur Rimbaud has been a part of my life since I was 17. Not long ago, several months?, a friend asked if i would be interested in working with three other artist to put together a show. The theme had not been chosen but the issue of homelessness may be a factor in the show. I dislike issues that i have no ownership to. Homelessness is something i have not experienced and i feel does not belong to me but if this show is for charity, how could anyone say no. I am still unsure what we will be doing for the show but i ran with an idea of my own.

Ideas are strange things, sometimes they hold all the power and at other times i do. In this case the idea was to work with the first poem from "A Season in Hell" and it had a life beyond my reservations. Maybe it would never end up being about homelessness but it would be a place to start making some interesting drawings and that is all i need, a place to start.

Working with words from poems or songs is something i salivate over. When it is a poem i read, reread, look, sound it out, use my high voice and low voice, search for meaning and keep it close until it feels right. In this case I got my book (the original one i read at 17) and started reading. How delightful it was, like an old friend. I could feel my youth rush upon me as if 17 had returned. My lips tasted the beauty of my youthfull dark thoughts, the ones that still have hope as their linning. When i work with words i change the line structure of the poem or song to fit the work i am trying to create (sorry Rimbaud and all the others) and this was the case with this poem.



The sketchbook page where it all started.



I will post more about the process later for now here are four (unfinished drawings) of the twelve drawings. I am working on all twelve at the same time.



the 1st drawing








the 6th drawing






the 8th darwing




the last drawing





Enjoy!