Pueblo Indian petroglyph (Galisteo Basin, New Mexico, ca. 1350–1680). Photograph by Dennis Tedlock. Collection of Dennis & Barbara Tedlock.

LANGUAGE TO COVER A WALL: VISUAL POETRY THROUGH ITS CHANGING MEDIA

Tis exhibition of international scope and historical depth is one of the largest single gatherings of its kind, drawing upon a range of language-art material from many centuries. Te earliest example here is a photograph of a Pueblo Indian petroglyph (Galisteo Basin, New Mexico, ca. 1350–1680), though the origins of visual and concrete poetry extend back to Greek and Roman times. Known as technopageia (Greek) and carmina fgurata (Roman), “Pattern” poetry denotes poems usually conventional in syntax, whose textual design represents the shape of the subject discussed (prime examples in the exhibition are George Herbert’s 1633 “Easter Wings” and Lewis Carroll’s “Te Mouse’s Tale”). An heir to this tradition is “Concrete” poetry, whose nominal origin dates to the early 1950s and the Brazilian based Noigandres Group (Haroldo and Augusto de Campos, Décio Pigniatari, and Ronaldo Azeredo). Adapting Max Bill’s term “concrete art,” it promoted a poetics of largely isomorphic structures that foreground the patterned architectonics of the poem’s word arrangement. A later but related development in the 1950s is Swiss-Bolivian poet Eugen Gomringer’s “konstel- lationen” (constellations), designed to engage the reader/viewer less in interpreta- tion than in “think-play” activity.

In the 1960s “visual poetry” emerged primarily in Italy. Distrustful of the strictly typographic paradigms of concrete poetry, it sought to broaden the semiotics of concrete to include more visual and popular media: the comic strip, advertising, and the semiotic or “code” poem, which was developed by Décio Pigniatari and Luis Angelo Pinto and which comprises the juxtaposition and interpenetration of geometrical shapes with assigned lexical meanings (e.g., a circle for man, a square for woman). A further development is the signalist poem conceived in Czechoslovakia as a poetic of geometric shapes and vectors, examples of which can be found in the exhibition, including in the work of one of its Canadian Te Language of the Birds by Geofrey Gatza. Kenmore, New York: practitioners, Steve McCafery. Visual poetry or Poesia Vivisa (an Italian term, BlazeVOX Books, 2007. Te Poetry Collection of the University popular in the 1970s, for visual art/photographs incorporating words, often Libraries. Study for Carnival by Steve McCafery, ca. 1975. Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack. “Il Pleut” from Choix De Poésies by Guillaume Apollinaire, 1918. Te Rare Books Collection of the University Libraries.

La Cuchufeta, 2010. A digital print by Loss Pequeo Glazier. Collection of Loss Pequeo Glazier. handwritten, with a marked political content) extended the formal adventures of pattern poetry further into the realm of intermedia and a liminal aesthetics situ- ated between the legible and the readable, between reading and looking. Indeed, all works in the exhibition are instances of intermedia or “border blur”—a delib- erate and concerted attempt to erode the barriers between genres and disciplines. It should be emphasized also that the rich history of visual poetry is character- ized by an adventurous search for new contexts; this veritable nomad poetry has been marked by a wandering trajectory from page to wall, from paper to object, and from stanza to architecture (in fact, the word “stanza” is the Italian word for “room”). Tough given birth in an analog era, visual poetry has gained im- petus from the possibilities of a digital poetics (many examples of which can be experienced in the Second Floor Gallery). One fnal note: Visual poetry, while extending both the context and the possibilities of communicational codes, still Te Pipe: recent Czech concrete poetry edited by Jiri Valoch with bp remains in language, and where a letter resides, be it in a mutilated abstract form Nichol, 1973. Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen or situated conventionally in a word, then the invitation to sounding it becomes Mac Cormac. an insistence. So think of and treat this exhibition not only as an opportunity to see and refect silently (as in the Louvre or the Albright-Knox) but as a challenge to sound, to howl, to scream the work before you.

Te exhibition includes examples of seventeenth-century pattern poems, con- temporary concrete, poesia visiva, eye poems, typestracts (abstract typewriter art), poem-objects, architectural poem environments, and digital poems. Works by George Herbert, Lewis Carroll, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Barbara Kruger, Henri Chopin, Dick Higgins, Daniel Spoerri, Alison Knowles, d. a. levy, Bob Cobbing, Siebren Versteeg, bpNichol, and Guy de Cointet are among a multiplicity on view. LANGUAGE TO COVER A WALL does not pretend to ofer a defni- tive history of language-art but rather a broad ofering of important examples. It is hoped that the works presented, some separated by centuries, will speak to each other and to you. Te curatorial team shares the idea that poetry ap- pears everywhere, not solely on a printed page or computer screen, and that each new technology through the centuries provokes new ways and materials for language-art to be created and experienced. Appreciative of historical lin- eage and ongoing evolution, we present this range of work as an opportunity to explore the rich history of concrete and visual poetry and their developments- in-the-making. Te exhibited poetry is drawn extensively from the private col- Ric Royer’s Avant Garde Cofee Cup No. 1 by Ric Royer, 2001. Te lection of Steve McCafery and Karen Mac Cormack and the Poetry Collection Poetry Collection of the University Libraries. of the University Libraries.Te exhibition also draws from the collections of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University, the Niagara Artists Centre, and the private collections of participating artists.

Curated by Loss Pequeo Glazier, Professor, UB Department of Media Study, the “Digital Component” of LANGUAGE TO COVER A WALL focuses on bringing the traditions of visual poetry into present day digital poetics. Incor- porating sound, video, and language, most often using computer process media practices, these works embrace a variety of forms such as computer-generated poetry, time-based works, language and video, and digital poetry and dance. Tis exhibition juxtaposes new works alongside rarely exhibited historical works crucial to the feld by some of the most highly celebrated digital poets from the United States, Canada, France, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Spain, Austria, Sweden, and Norway.

Steve McCafery David Gray Chair Professor of Poetry and Letters UB Department of English

Karen Mac Cormack Adjunct Professor of English

Michael Basinski Curator of the Poetry Collection of the University Libraries

“Te Mouse’s Tail” from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, 1865. Te Rare Books Collection of the University Libraries. Kenneth Lawrence Beaudoin Jean-François Bory CATALOG Te January Haiku of Kenneth Lawrence Saga, 1968 Beaudoin, 1950 Switzerland: Approaches Alphabetized by author represented New Orleans, Louisiana: Te Author Collection of Steve McCafery & All measurements in inches, height x width Karen Mac Cormack

Except where otherwise noted all items Kenneth Lawrence Beaudoin from: Te Poetry Collection of the Te First Encrustation, 1949 Daniel F. Bradley University Libraries, University at Bufalo Raleigh Springs, Tennessee: Attaturk Press Te Cheese Concerto, 1991 Curved H&Z 3 ½ x 4 ¼ Kenneth Lawrence Beaudoin, editor Yellow Edenwald Field No. 1 (2007) edited Iconograph Issue No 3, 1946 by Edric Mesmer Daniel F. Bradley Anata 5 by Tomomi Adachi Untitled, 1991 Kenneth Lawrence Beaudoin Curved H&Z A manuscript: “Eye Poem No. 2” 2 ¾ x 4 ¼ Tomomi Adachi 15 ¼ x 8 Tree works from Chinese Character for Instrument, 2011 Hart Broudy [1 of 3]: For Trombone Trio Derek Beaulieu Lisez ce que je vous propose, 1968 [2 of 3]: For Violin and Piano Prose of the Trans-Canada, 2011 Oil and Letraset on canvas [3 of 3]: For Female Solo with Male Print on matte polypro flm 40 x 30 Auxiliary 16 x 52 Collection of Steve McCafery & All 8 ½ x 11 Toronto, Ontario: Bookthug Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Edric Mesmer (as Moments Cafe No. 8) Collection of Derek Beaulieu Bob Brown mIEKAL aND and Elizabeth Was 1450–1950, 1929 AKA Twa Dogs in Paris David Benders Paris: Black Sun Press NY Journals, Volume I, 1983 Christmas Card, 2010 Madison, Wisconsin: Xexoxial Editions Collage Collection of Sandra Q. Firmin & Bob Brown Jack Quinan A manuscript by Bob Brown Guillaume Apollinaire 6 x 7 Choix De Poésies, 1945 London: Horizon Mail art from the John M. Bennett Collection Te Rare Books Collection of the Generator Issue 10, 2000 University Libraries, University at Bufalo Edited by John Byrum Bill Bissett Cleveland, Ohio Lunaria, 2001 Stephen Bann New York: Granary Books Fleece, 1968 11 ⅛ x 8 ¾ Lewis Carroll Dunsyre, Lanark, Scotland: Wild Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Hawthorn Press with illustrations by John Tenniel, 1916 27 ⅞ x 18 Bill Bissett London: Philip Lee Warner Untitled, 1974 Te Rare Books Collection of the Typewriter and collage University Libraries, University at Bufalo Mail art from the Baron Collection 10 ½ x 10 Collection of Steve McCafery & Francesca Cataldi Karen Mac Cormack Asphlt Treads, 1981 [one of two] Michael Basinski 9 x 6 ¾ Letter N Eclipse, 2011 23 x 20 ¼ Bill Bissett Pen, marker, press-lettering, and collage Untitled, 1978 Francesca Cataldi materials Typestract Asphlt Treads, 1981 [two of two] Collection of Ginny O’Brien & 10 ½ x 10 9 x 6 ¾ Michael Basinski Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Henri Chopin Michael Basinski Untitled 90/100 Untitled, 2005 Christian Bk 19 x 16 ¼ Mixed media Ubu Hubbub Collection of Steve McCafery & 16 ¼ x 20 ¼ Collage on laminated card Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Steve McCafery & 8 ½ x 8 ½ Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Donato Cincolo jw curry David Daniels Domo, 1972 Can’t Aford No Kodak Instamatik Years, 2002 St. Albans, Herts, England: Instamatik vlm.2, 1991 Berkeley, California: Te Author Liberes Editions Nietzche’s Brolly, Toronto Collection of Steve McCafery & Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Karen Mac Cormack Betty Danon From “Punto-Linea” from Extra Pages, 1999 Paula Claire jw curry Milano, Italy: Te Author Soundsword, 1972 An Excerpt from Knots, 1982 London: Writers Forum Curved H&Z 11 ¾ x 8 ¼ 4 ⅞ x 6 ½ Betty Danon Poem from Extra Pages, 1999 Milano, Italy: Te Author Paula Claire jw curry Circuits, 1979 For Nelson, 1981 London: Writers Forum Curved H&Z Betty Danon 5 ⅞ x 4 4 x 6 A Possible Rainbow from Extra Pages, 1999 Milano, Italy: Te Author

Bob Cobbing jw curry A manuscript: “frst duplicate for print Found 7, 1981 Augusto de Campos and Julio Plaza 1942” Curved H&Z Poemobiles, 1985 8 ¾ x 12 1 ½ x 4 Brazil: Brasiliense Collection of Dennis & Barbara Tedlock

Bob Cobbing jw curry Purple Square, 1977 Found Prophecy, 1980 Guy de Cointet London: Writers Forum Curved H&Z Title unknown, 1975 14 ½ x 20 ½ 2 ¼ x 4 ¼ Mixed media Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University Collection Concerning Concrete Poetry, 1978 jw curry Promised Gift of Mr. Robert Freidus Edited by Bob Cobbing and Peter Mayer History of Hindu, 1980 London: Writers Forum Curved H&Z Collection of Steve McCafery & 4 x 6 Guy de Cointet Karen Mac Cormack Los tat Sea: SEN, 1975 Mixed media jw curry Castellani Art Museum of Niagara Clark Coolidge T Life and Rhmes, 1980 University Collection On the Slates, 1992 Curved H&Z Gift of Mr. Robert Freidus, 1996 New York City: Flockophobic Press 4 ½ x 5 ½

Guy de Cointet Judith Copithorne Simon Cutts Lost at Sea: 4 GRT, 1975 Fleur, 2009 180 Degree Eyepiece, 1997 Mixed media Collection of Judith Copithorne London, England: Workfortheeyetodo Castellani Art Museum of Niagara 24 x 60 University Collection Gift of Mr. Robert Freidus, 1996 Simon Cutts E.E. Cummings Ei-glas for Heidi Hofmann, 1994 Be Of Love…, 1969 London, England: Workfortheeyetodo Eighty Days: Made During Australian New York: Full Circle Visit, 13 June till 31 August 1997 34 x 22 Edited by David Dellafora Simon Cutts Geelong, Victoria, Australia: Field Study Eye glass 1993, 1993 Australia jw curry London, England: Workfortheeyetodo 3D – 3E, 1982 Curved H&Z David Dellafora 4 ⅞ x 5 ½ Simon Cutts SMTWTFS, 2006 Scroll 1, 2002 Geelong, Victoria, Australia: Field Study Edinburgh, Scotland, Royal Mile Mansions: Pill Box Edition jw curry Show & Tell Editions Absolutely the Last, 1980 Curved H&Z Michelle Detorie 5 ½ x 9 ⅝ David Daniels Psychedelic Domestic Poetry Glitter Globe, Two manuscript pages from Years 2008 Goleta, California: Hex Presse Diagonal Cero Ian Hamilton Finlay John Hall Issues 20 and 21, 1968 Evening Will Come…, 1969 Alphabet for Else Here Rolled, 2008 Argentina: Diagonal Cero Dunsyre, Lanark, Scotland: Letterpress “K” of 26 Collection of Steve McCafery & Wild Hawthorn Press 19 x 14 ¼ Karen Mac Cormack 31 ¾ x 11 ⅛ Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack

Johanna Drucker Ian Hamilton Finlay with Ron Costley History of the/my word: fragments of a Homage to Mozart, 1965 Alan Halsey testimonial to history, some lived and Screenprint on paper image Mappa Mundi, ca. 1990 realized moments open to claims of memory, 15 ¼ x 20 ¼ Mixed media 1990 Collection of Steve McCafery & 6 ¼ x 4 New York: J. Drucker Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Steve McCafery & 12 ¾ x 10 ¼ Karen Mac Cormack

Ian Hamilton Finlay Johanna Drucker A manuscript: you yes us Alan Halsey Te Word made Flesh, 1989 8 x 5 Rime of the Ancient Mariner, ca. 1990 New York: J. Drucker Mixed media 10 ¾ x 12 ¾ 6 ¼ x 3 ½ Chris Fritton Collection of Steve McCafery & Why We Lose Our Hands, 2011 Karen Mac Cormack Michael Dudley Letterpress print A Line, 1983 Ten 12 x 12 sections Curved H&Z Collection of Chris Fritton Ian Hays 2 ⅛ x 2 ⅝ Reading Joyce Reading Duchamp, 2002–09 Digital print John Furnival 16 ½ x 11 ½ Paul Dutton Eifel Tower, 1973 Collection of Steve McCafery & From Te Plastic Typewriter Woodchester, Gloucestershire: Karen Mac Cormack Imprints from parts of Openings Press broken typewriter 23 ¾ x 14 ¾ 9 x 6 ½ Andy Hedgecock Collection of Steve McCafery & 3s in the 4st, 1983 Karen Mac Cormack John Furnival Curved H&Z A Two-Guinea Ode for the gentle Fire, 2 ¼ x 3 ¾ including, for good Measure, the Ballad of Endwar (AKA Andrew Russ) Fearless Fred, 1970 Prayer Wheel for Brion Gysin, 2010 Ofset print Bernard Heidsieck Athens, Ohio: IZEN 17 ½ x 17 ½ D2 + D3Z Poèmes Partitions, 1958–1961 Collection of Steve McCafery & 10 ¾ x 10 Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Steve McCafery & Max Ernst Karen Mac Cormack Maximiliana: Te Illegal Practice of Astronomy, 1974 Geofrey Gatza Boston: New York Graphic Society Te Language of the Birds, 2007 George Herbert Kenmore, New York: BlazeVOX Books Te Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations, 1634 Amelia Etlinger Cambridge, England: Printed by T. Buck, Tree Poems, ca. 1975 Ernest V. Grifth and R. Daniel, printers to the Universitie Cloth, thread, paper, and natural objects Answers: Eye Poems, 1959 of Cambridge Eureka, California: Hearse Press Te Rare Books Collection of the University Libraries, University at Bufalo Ray Federman Rumor Transmissible Ad Infnitum…, 1976 Bob Grumman Brooklyn, New York: Assembling Press Greatest Hits, 2006 Dick Higgins 23 ½ x 22 ⅞ Columbus, Ohio: Pudding House Untitled (No. 1), ca.1990 Publications Silkscreen on cotton 94 x 66 ½ Mail art from the Luc Fierens Collection Collection of Steve McCafery & Bob Grumman Karen Mac Cormack Te Serpent, 1988 Ian Hamilton Finlay Seattle, Washington: emPost Cards Acrobats, 1968 4 ¼ x 5 ½ Dick Higgins Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire: Untitled (No. 2), ca.1990 Tarasque Press Silkscreen on cotton 21 x 14 ¾ Elisabetta Gut 47 x 60 Scrittuza – Musica, 1981 Collection of Steve McCafery & 8 ½ x 8 ½ Karen Mac Cormack Ashley Higgs Jess Alison Knowles Whatyouforgottosay, 1971 Open Mouthed But Relaxed, 1952 Onion Work, 2008 Ashburton, Australia: Te Author Collage Onion skin and plastic 16 ½ x 11 ¾ 10 ¾ x 16 ½ Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack

Jenny Holzer Karl Jirgens Modern Old Fashion Glasses, 1998 See Saw, 2011 Richard Kostelanetz Hillsborough, North Carolina: Print on paper 3 Visuals, 1973 Found Objects 11 x 8 ½ Stone Press for issue 9 of Happiness Collection of Karl Jirgens Holding Tank 17 x 11 DSH (Dom Sylvester Houedard) deus snap, 1969 Joe 5 ½ x 7 ½ For Uncle Furuncle, 1990 Ferdinand Kriwet Woodchester, Gloucestershire: Curved H&Z Poster Poem, 1964 Openings Press 3 x 3 ½ Dunsyre, Lanark, Scotland: Collection of Steve McCafery & Wild Hawthorn Press Karen Mac Cormack 22 ¼ x 17 ⅜ Ray Johnson Face Collage by Ray Johnson DSH (Dom Sylvester Houedard) 5 ¾ x 4 ¾ Barbara Kruger Successful Cube…, 1970 Untitled (We will no longer be seen and Woodchester, Gloucestershire: not heard), 1985 Openings Press Ray Johnson Color lithograph using photo-litho and 31 x 23 It’s Easy silkscreen 8 ¾ x 8 Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University Collection William R. Howe Castellani Purchase Fund, 1985 Rock Book, 2003 Ray Johnson Somerville, Massachusetts: A Crapper L.I.C.S. Editions RealBook 3 ¼ x 5 ½ Robert Lax 6 x 8 ½ Untitled (No. 1), ca. 1990 Silkscreen on cotton Ray Johnson 48 x 60 Geof Huth Moticos, 1968 Collection of Steve McCafery & Eyechart Poems, 2009 New York: Te Author Karen Mac Cormack Bufalo, New York: 14 x 8 ½ P-Queue / Queue Books 10 x 6 ½ Robert Lax Ray Johnson Untitled (No. 2), ca. 1990 One of the Last Photographs Taken of 55 x 60 Geof Huth Piet Mondrian Silkscreen on cotton A Finger of Speech, 1990 4 x 7 Collection of Steve McCafery & 2 x 3 ½ Karen Mac Cormack

Ronald Johnson and John Furnival Geof Huth Io and the Ox Eye Daisy Robert Lax Interior Defnition No. 2, 1987 AKA Poor Old Tired Horse, No. 19, 1965 Untitled (No. 3), ca. 1990 Curved H&Z Edited by Ian Hamilton Finlay Silkscreen on cotton 2 ¾ x 4 ¼ Dunsyre, Lanark, Scotland: 50 x 59 Wild Hawthorn Press; second copy Collection of Steve McCafery & Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Geof Huth Karen Mac Cormack Te Mute Hemophiliac, 1989 Curved H&Z Robert Lax 3 ¼ x 8 ⅞ Christine Kermaire Untitled (No. 4), ca. 1990 Resilence of Al- Mutawabbi Street, 2011 Silkscreen on cotton Charleroi, Belgium: Christine Kermaire 50 ½ x 59 Geof Huth Collection of Steve McCafery & Number of Space, 1992 Karen Mac Cormack Curved H&Z Ronald King 2 x 3 ½ Alphatabeta Concertina, 1983 West Sussex, England: Circle Press Robert Lax Collection of Steve McCafery & Untitled (No. 5), ca. 1990 Peter Jaeger Karen Mac Cormack Silkscreen on cotton Untitled, 1994 53 x 61 Hard-cover blank book, glue, acrylic paint, Collection of Steve McCafery & acrylic gel, paper, ink Alison Knowles Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Steve McCafery & Time Samples, 2006 Karen Mac Cormack New York: Granary Books Jim Leftwich John Hall Steve McCafery H, 2008 Not What is for Gotten (from Karen Mac Carnival Panel 2, 1970–1975 Fort Collins, Colorado: Avantacular Press Cormack’s Implexures) Typewriter, metal type, rubber stamp, Plymouth, England: John Hall carbon paper printing Collection of Steve McCafery & 44 ½ x 34 ½ Jim Leftwich Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Steve McCafery & Tirty Eight Dep 2007, 2005 Karen Mac Cormack Roanoke, Virginia: Antboo Jackson Mac Low A manuscript: namu amida butts Steve McCafery d. a. levy 10 ½ x 8 Carnival Panel 3, 2009 Farewell the Floating Cunt, 1964 Multicolor digital overlay of Cleveland: Renegade Press Panels 1 & 2 (reduced) Jackson Mac Low Image size 18 x 12 A Notated Vocabulary for Eve Collection of Steve McCafery & d. a. levy Rosenthal-5/22-25/78, 1978 Karen Mac Cormack Te Great Tibetan Train Robbery Ofset print from autograph Mystery Play in Color, 1966 14 x 22 Cleveland: Swamp Erie Collection of Steve McCafery & Steve McCafery Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Daphne Via Gutenberg Karen Mac Cormack Typewriter and block letters Collection of Steve McCafery & Hansjorg Mayer Karen Mac Cormack d. a. levy Openingnisolc no 8, 1968 Visualized Prayer for the American God No. 6 Woodchester, Gloucestershire: Rear cover of 1001 Ways to Live Without Openings Press Steve McCafery Working by Tuli Kupferberg, 1967 18 ¾ x 18 ¾ groundplans for a speaking city, 1969 New York: Grove Press Rubber stamp and dry-feed electrostatic copy of assembled newspaper fragments Steve McCafery Collection of Steve McCafery & Logogramas: poesia visual poetry brasil 66/67 Against Writing, ca. 1978 Karen Mac Cormack São Paulo: Ediçes Invenção Ink and magnifying glass Collection of Steve McCafery & Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Karen Mac Cormack Steve McCafery H: a History, 1974 Serigraph Christopher Logue Steve McCafery Collection of Steve McCafery & Sex War Sex Cars Sex, 1967 Te Burden of the Lyric, ca. 1980 Karen Mac Cormack London: s.n. Collage 23 x 17 ½ Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Steve McCafery Te Letter H at 4.46pm 8/11/77, 1977 Arrigo Lora-Totino Ink Prosa Steve McCafery Collection of Steve McCafery & Photocopy and glued newspaper Capture, 1969 Karen Mac Cormack 14 x 11 Ofset and ofce staples Collection of Steve McCafery & Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Karen Mac Cormack Steve McCafery Marilyn Monroe (“Lonely One”), 1972 Typewriter Onsets edited by N. Dorward Steve McCafery Collection of Steve McCafery & Willowdale, Ontario Carnival Panel (abandoned), 1975 Karen Mac Cormack open to Karen Mac Cormack’s Typewriter 1975 2185229201, 2004 Collection of Steve McCafery & Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Steve McCafery Karen Mac Cormack Monotony Test, 1982 Silkscreen print A/P Steve McCafery 33 ½ x 24 ½ John Hall Carnival original prototype, 1969 Collection of Steve McCafery & “know what you do not know” (from Typewriter on telex roll Karen Mac Cormack Karen Mac Cormack’s Implexures) Collection of Steve McCafery & Plymouth, England: John Hall Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Steve McCafery & Steve McCafery Karen Mac Cormack Monotony Test prototype, 1982 Steve McCafery Water colored paper with typewriter type Carnival Panel 1, 1967–1970 Collection of Steve McCafery & Typewriter Karen Mac Cormack 44 ½ x 34 ½ Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Steve McCafery Geraldine Monk Tom Phillips Novel #498, 1975 UFO Text, 2009 From A Humument: A Treated Victorian Ink Hereford, England: Five Seasons Press Novel, ca. 1975 Collection of Steve McCafery & 13 x 19 Silkscreen print Karen Mac Cormack 18 ¾ x 14 ¾ Collection of Steve McCafery & bp Nichol Karen Mac Cormack Steve McCafery Tree Drafts, 1982 Paradux Silkscreen Two ceramic ducks and paper 29 ½ x 22 ½ Marilyn R. Rosenberg Collection of Steve McCafery & Collection of Steve McCafery & Shadowland: Rumble-strips, 1995 Karen Mac Cormack Karen Mac Cormack Cortlandt Manor, New York: Te Author

Steve McCafery bp Nichol Ric Royer A Poem is a Handshake Parrots 8, 1988 Ric Royer’s Avant Garde Cofee Cup No. 1, Manikin hand with sign Colored crayon 2001 Collection of Steve McCafery & 12 ¾ x 13 ¼ Bufalo, New York: Te Author Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Katie Sehr Steve McCafery K: Alphabet Series, 2008 Pound Stamp, 2009 Ginny O’Brien and Michael Basinski Pen and ink Mixed media Evenning Frogs, 2011 12 ½ x 12 ½ Collection of Steve McCafery & Pen, marker, and collage materials Collection of Katie Sehr Karen Mac Cormack 15 x 19 Collection of Lauren & James Maynard Luigi Serafni Steve McCafery Codex Serifanus, 1981 Punctuation Poem, 1970 Ginny O’Brien and Michael Basinski Book of imaginary language Typewriter on index card Te Talkies, 2010 Collection of Steve McCafery & Collection of Steve McCafery & Pen, marker, and collage materials Karen Mac Cormack Karen Mac Cormack 13 ½ x 29 Collection of Ginny O’Brien & Michael Basinski Signal No. 2–3, 1971 Steve McCafery International Review for Signalist Signalist text, ca. 1975 Research Letraset Lisa Occhipinti Beograd, Yugoslavia Collection of Steve McCafery & Narrative Vase, ca. 2009 6 ¾ x 9 ½ Karen Mac Cormack Treated book and metal Collection of Steve McCafery & Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Karen Mac Cormack Steve McCafery Untitled, 1970–1990 Daniel Spoerri Mixed media Ovum 10, 1971 Untitled, ca. 1990 Collection of Steve McCafery & Montevideo, Uruguay Silkscreen on cotton Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Steve McCafery & 48 x 57 Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Steve McCafery & Karen Mac Cormack Steve McCafery Untitled, 1975 Kenneth Patchen Typewriter, blue carbon paper of-set, Gravity the Gambling Man from Glory Mail art from the Sticker Dude autograph Never Guesses, 1956 Collection Collection of Steve McCafery & Silkscreen on Japanese papers Karen Mac Cormack San Francisco: Frank Bacher 14 x 11 ¼ D. H. Sullivan Order, 1982 Steve McCafery Curved H&Z Untitled, ca. 1980 Kenneth Patchen 2 ¼ x 5 ½ Typewriter Te Moment the Peacock from Glory Never Collection of Steve McCafery & Guesses, 1956 Karen Mac Cormack Silkscreen on Japanese papers Dennis Tedlock San Francisco: Frank Bacher Scepters and Bats, 2009 14 x 11 ¼ Rollout view of the painted inscription Franz Mon circling a 7th-century Mayan vase for Epitaph fur Konrad Bayer, 1964 drinking chocolate from Verbal Montages: Dunsyre, Lanark, Scotland: Octavio Paz Transcriptions of Mayan Texts Wild Hawthorn Press Discos Visuals, 1968 Print 22 ½ x 17 Mexico: Ediciones Era 11 x 17 Collection of Dennis & Barbara Tedlock Dennis Tedlock Benjamin Van Dyke Darren Wershler Come out, lord who is pierced, 2009 Perplexity, 2011 Ian Hamilton Finlay in a Bottle, ca. 1997 Oscillogram, transcription, and translation Steel, vinyl, ink Mixed media of the opening speech of the play Rabinal Collection of Benjamin Van Dyke Collection of Steve McCafery & Achi, performed in Rabinal, Guatemala. Karen Mac Cormack from Verbal Montages: Transcriptions of Mayan Texts Erica Van Horn Print An Album of Interiors, 2008 Jacob West 17 x 11 Ballybeg, Grange, Clonmel, Tipperary, Architectural representation of the poem Ireland: Coracle Press “Reverse Defnitions Manifesto,” 2011 by Karen Mac Cormack from Enmeshed Dennis Tedlock Tessitura Tis is the writing, the speaking of a dream, Siebren Versteeg Plexiglas, steel wire, mylar 2010 /Prop/, 2009 4 ¼ x 12 ½ x 6 ¾ Byline of the 8th-century painter-poet 50” plasma screen, stick, single channel DVD Collection of Jacob West Ajmaxam, from a vase for drinking Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, chocolate from Verbal Montages: Bufalo, New York Transcriptions of Mayan Texts George B. and Jenny R. Mathews Fund, by Jacob West Print exchange, 2010 ArchiShift, 2011 17 x 11 2010:10a-b Architectural representation of the poem “Shifters” by Steve McCafery from Enmeshed Tessitura Dennis Tedlock Robert Watts Plywood, PETG Pueblo Indian petroglyph Fluxbox, 1984 84 x 42 x 42 Galisteo Basin, New Mexico, ca. 1350–1680 Collection of Steve McCafery & Collection of Jacob West Photograph Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Dennis & Barbara Tedlock Jacob West Hannah Weiner Architectural representation of the poem Jiri Valoch RPJ Wantmen, 1968 “Untitled” by Jacob West, 2011 Nine Optical Poems, 1967 Letter Edged in Black Press from Enmeshed Tessitura London: Writers Forum 7 ⅞ x 6 ⅞ Basswood, steel wire, mylar Collection of Steve McCafery & 6 ¾ x 16 x 7 ½ Karen Mac Cormack Collection of Jacob West Darren Wershler Collected Allegories, 1998 Te Pipe: recent Czech concrete poetry Ink on paper 19/20 Jonathan Williams groNk series 6, numbers 6 & 7, 1973 24 x 40 ½ “In the Rock Pool Under Barth Bridge” Edited by Jiri Valoch with bp Nichol Collection of Steve McCafery & from Five From Up T’Dale, 1974 Toronto, Ontario: Te Coach House Press Karen Mac Cormack Kendal, Westmorland: 9 ¼ x 12 ¾ x ¾ Te Finial Press in Great Britain Collection of Steve McCafery & 15 x 15 Karen Mac Cormack

Works featured in the “Digital Component”:

Pierre Alferi (French), from Cinépoèmes & Films Parlants, 2004 Wilton Azevedo (Brazilian), from Videopoemas, 2011 Amaranth Borsuk (American) and Brad Bouse (American), Between Page and Screen, 2010 [Installation] John Cayley (Canadian), Tis Clock, 2011 [Digital] John Cayley (Canadian), Oisleánd, 1996, 2011 [Digital prints] Loss Pequeo Glazier (American), La Cuchufeta, 2010 [Digital print] Loss Pequeo Glazier (American), Io Sono At Swoons, 2002 [Digital] David Jhave Johnston (Canadian), Human-Machine-Mind, 2009 [Digital] Jason Lewis (Canadian), from POEMMs, 2011 [Digital] Talan Memmott (American/Swedish), NONCE.EXECUTOR, 2011 [Digital] María Mencia (Spanish/British), Birds Singing Other Bird’s Songs, 2001 [Digital] Nick Montfort (American), from ppg256 series, 2007 [Digital] Ottar Ormstad (American), when, 2011 [Digital] Joerg Piringer (Austrian), broe sell, 2011 [Digital] Lawrence Upton (British) and Guy Begby (British), NAMELY, 2011 [Installation] Gratitude is extended to all those individuals who on this catalog; the staf of the UB Art Galleries including worked to realize this exhibition. Tank you to: Alice Sandra Olsen (Director of UB Galleries), Sandra Firmin Bailey and Edric Mesmer from the Poetry Collection (Curator, UB Art Galleries), Tim Roby, Ken Short, of the University Libraries, who were Assistant Robert Scalise, Jennifer Markee, Mary Moran, and Curators for LANGUAGE TO COVER A WALL; James Ginny O’Brien; Steve McCafery (David Gray Chair), Maynard, Assistant Curator of the Poetry Collection of Karen Mac Cormack, and Dennis Tedlock ( James H. the University Libraries; Courtney Pfahl; Department McNulty Chair), all from the Department of English; of Media Study students Joseph Dante, Steven Fox, and Loss Pequeo Glazier, Department of Media Study; Corrina Waxman; David Tolkacz, an independent artist, Ben Bedard; Jacob West; Donald Elick; all the artists for his valuable volunteer contributions; Media Study who loaned work to this exhibition; Albright-Knox Art staf members Carl Lee, Michael Bouquard, and Dean Gallery; Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University; Sanborn; Kristopher Miller of the University Libraries Niagara Artists Centre; and Michael Basinski, Curator for his understanding and extreme patience in his work of the Poetry Collection of the University Libraries.

Funding for the exhibition was provided by the UB Art Galleries, Te David Gray Chair of Poetry & Letters (Steve McCafery),Te James H. McNulty Chair (Dennis Tedlock),Te Poetry Collection of the University Libraries (Michael Basinski), Te Melodia E. Jones Chair ( Jean-Jacques Tomas), Programme de recherche sur le Québec aux États-Unis, the Canadian-American Studies Committee at UB, and the Government of Canada.

Generous support has also been provided by the Canadian Consulate, Bufalo, NY; E-Poetry Festivals; Electronic Poetry Center, Department of Media Study, UB; Department of Teatre & Dance, UB; and Gaylord Bros.

Cover image: Mail art from the John M. Bennett, Luc Fierens, Sticker Dude, and Baron Collections. Te Poetry Collection of the University Libraries.