Archive for A Garden of Wild Stones / Finlay, Ian Hamilton; Harvey, Michael; Lyle, Peter; Thorpe, John R.; Butler, Vincent; Oliver, George; Jones D., 1972 - 1973
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Scope and Contents
In Nov 1972, Finlay writes to Vincent Butler, who built the aircraft carrier sculpture for Stonypath, expressing his displeasure with the quality of the drawing for the Wild Stone project. Finlay indicates that unless Butler can produce a better drawing, their collaboration should cease. No reply from Butler is contained within this Archive and letters from Finlay to Peter Lyle, Michael Harvey, and George Thorpe are sent requesting their assistance with the project along with those of Butler. Finlay writes that the poems to be inscribed upon the Six Wild Stones are one word poems analogous to Japanese Haiku where art is a matter of brevity and suggestion and wild (native) stones in a formal area is equivalent to a Japanese rock Garden. Examples include the poem Curfew "Curlew." Curlew is a bird heard mostly on still, misty days or in the evening with a long, sad cry. Finlay includes a plan on graphite tracing paper, ...a large area mown grass ...stone paving slats...stone poems placed. Harvey submits a drawing for the poem, Air-To-Ground, Air-To-Air, Ground-To-Air in David Jones'-like lettering as Finlay had suggested but comments "...in my version of David Jones lettering - I am puzzled by the fact that it still looks more Harvey than Jones!" The carver, John Thorpe, sends a photograph of the stone, Curlew, to Finlay in Jan 1973. The archive includes a photograph of the six stones on plywood by George Oliver. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.
Dates
- Creation: 1972 - 1973
Creator
- Finlay, Ian Hamilton, 1925-2006 (Person)
- Harvey, Michael, 1931-2013 (Person)
- Lyle, Peter (Person)
- Butler, Vincent F. (Person)
Extent
0 See container summary (2 Finlay letters (typed, ink, handwriting, 5pp, 2pp, 4pp) + 2 Butler blueprints (folded) + Finlay manuscript (typed, ink, handwriting, 4pp) + Finlay drawing (graphite, handwriting) + Ross letter (typed, p) + Harvey drawing (graphite, handwriting) + Harvey letter (ink, handwriting, 2pp) + Thorpe letter (ink, handwriting, p) + 2 black and white photographs) ; 26 x 21 cm
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Physical Location
file cab finlay
Custodial History
The Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry, on loan from Ruth and Marvin A. Sackner and the Sackner Family Partnership.
General
Published: Dunsyre Lanark, Scotland : Wild Hawthorn Press. Signed by: Ian [Finlay] (l.l.- letter). Nationality of creator: Scottish and British. General: About 1 total copies. General: Added by: CONV; updated by: MARVIN.
Repository Details
Part of the The Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry Repository
125 W. Washington St.
Main Library
Iowa City Iowa 52242 United States
319-335-5921