“The word and the image are one. Painters and poets belong together.”
Taking its title from a line written by Hugo Ball (1886-1927), which inspired Hans Arp (1886-1966) and sparked the imagination of the Scottish artist Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925-2006), this event looks at how words and images operate in their respective work. Through talks and a round table discussion, it will reflect on correspondence between the two artists that Daniel Sturgis discovered when artist-research fellow at the Stiftung Arp e.V. (Berlin), and which can be seen to shed light on the development of Finlay’s first concrete poem “Homage to Malevich”, as well as their shared interests in the natural world and creating a vocabulary of concrete forms.
Leading scholars on both Hans Arp and Zurich Dada, and Ian Hamilton Finlay and the development of Concrete poetry in Britain, will explore the relationship between these artists, and how word and image coalesce within artists’ publications. As part of the event there will be a show and share display of publications by Arp and Finlay in Tate Library’s collection, including the influential magazine Poor. Old. Tired. Horse.
The event coincides with the Ian Hamiton Finlay centenary, which has seen exhibitions and events across the country celebrating the birth of one of Scotland’s most influential artists.
Work by Hans Arp is currently on display at Tate Modern in the International Surrealism room, Natalie Bell Building, Level 2 East, Room 5.
