This poem depicts the silhouette of a man's face and upper torso formed by the word "optimist" as a tautology. He is breaking out from the bars of a cell formed from a tautology of the words "stop, Angste (anxiety), Befurchtungen (worry), Bedenken (concern), Einwande (contradiction); Hemmungen (timidity), Vorbehalte (reservation), and Zweifel (doubt)." Hosselbarth or Hoesselbarth is now known as Kai Selbar. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

This poem depicts the silhouette of a man's face and upper torso formed by the word "optimist" as a tautology. He is breaking out from the bars of a cell formed from a tautology of the words "stop, Angste (anxiety), Befurchtungen (worry), Bedenken (concern), Einwande (contradiction); Hemmungen (timidity), Vorbehalte (reservation), and Zweifel (doubt)." -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The title translates to mental capacity for pulling. The image printed on the cover and utilized in four of the prints consists of a stylized pair of hands formed by text. Hosselbarth or Hoesselbarth is now known as Kai Selbar. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

This is a collection of prints by Selbar (aka Hoesselbarth) dealing with the Holocaust and German rightist politics. Die Blendung means "The Blinding" in English. Kai Selbar provided an English translation for the German comments on each print that is included in this portfolio. He notes that the first three prints are based upon a common principle. When the same word is written several times in a row so that the letters run together, the new combinations produce a new and related item. The result is that a second level of content or meaning is introduced to the original word. For example, in the title print "Blendung" (blinding), the linguistid elements are StimmenfANG STimmenfang = Stimmenfang (campaign), Angst (fear). The later conveys the poilitical campaign by the far right. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The subject is a profile of a man with each part of the head printed as a word, e.g., Nase Nase Nase to form the nose. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The word "netz" meaning web forms a grid out of which the words "appel" meaning appeal in the center are trying to escape. Hosselbarth or Hoesselbarth is now known as Kai Selbar. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

This work features ambiguities related to censorship. The label of two cigarette packs, "Lucky Strike" is cancelled to leave only "Lust." The cancelling device is a large block of wood with black paint at its tip that serves as phallic symbol. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The poem depicts a bow and arrow with the bow formed from the word "mehrheit" repeated three times. the arrow is formed from the word "andersdenkende." Mehrheit means majority and andersdenkende dissident in English. The arrow pierces the bow and drips red drops of blood. the verso depicts a fragment of another shaped poem. Hosselbarth or Hoesselbarth is now known as Kai Selbar. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The concrete poems in this portfolio are printed with contemporary typefaces sans serif. Hosselbarth or Hoesselbarth is now known as Kai Selbar. The Sackner Archive holds two copies of this portfolio. In this one, the portfolio is covered with brown fabric and the cover print has a blue background. In the other copy, the portfolio is covered with black fabric and the cover print has a black background. The images of the prints are identical but there are minor differences in color registration on some of them. The number of artist proof copies is unknown. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The concrete poems in this portfolio are printed with contemporary typefaces sans serif. Hosselbarth or Hoesselbarth is now known as Kai Selbar. The Sackner Archive holds two copies of this portfolio. In this one, the portfolio is covered with black fabric and the cover print has a black background. In the other copy, the portfolio is covered with brown fabric and the cover print has a blue background. The images of the prints are identical but there are minor differences in color registration on some of them. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

This print consists of a grid of the word "zusehen" printed repetitively over a faint portrait of a woman's face. Kai Selbar is aka Kai Hoesselbarth. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.