VERSE/VISUAL From Word to Image and Back
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VERSE/VISUAL : From Word to Image and Back
LOCAL POETS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS INSPIRE EACH OTHER IN NEW PROJECT ON VIEW DURING IPSWICH ILLUMINATION
Friday, October 4ththrough Sunday, October 6th
at Gathr events
42 Market Street
IPSWICH MA
What do you see in your mind when you read a poem or hear a piece of music? When you see a work of art, do you create a story to go with it? Is what you experience when you engage art the experience the artist intended? If it isn’t, how is it different? What happens when someone takes their response to what they’ve seen, heard or read, and creates something new?
This exploration is at the heart of VERSE/VISUAL, a collaborative art project between poets and photographers that will have a gallery show October 4-6 during Ipswich’s Illumination weekend. Inspired by a 2017 New Times York Times project, photographer Cynthia August and poet Sarah Vickery led a group of 20 poets and photographers in the first iteration of VERSE/VISUAL in 2018 - with original photographs displayed alongside the poems that inspired them. This year, both creative groups will be challenged to create a new piece – seven local photographers responding to poems by seven local poets, who in turn will be writing new poems inspired by works from the photographers’ portfolios.
The poems and photographs will be displayed together in the windows of Gathr https://gathr.work/, a co-working and event space in downtown Ipswich, during the town’s Ipswich Illumination festival. Multiple events will take place during the festival weekend, including an opening reception with readings and artist Q+A,student submissions,a poetry open mic, and a video projection wall.
“It’s been such a pleasure to see the poets take subtle details in these photographs and bring a new kind of life to them,” said Vickery, who has been coaching poets through the creative process as the facilitator of Ipswich Poetry Group’s workshop sessions.
Cynthia August says: “The moment I saw the NYT project, I knew I had to bring a version of it to Ipswich. We are such a strong photography community, and our poetry group is first-rate. It’s the perfect place to test-drive this project, which I hope to bring to other town and schools. And the chance to do it at beautiful Gathr Events is a dream come true!
###
VERSE/VISUAL IPSWICH
VERSE/VISUAL was created by Ipswich photographer Cynthia August and poet Sarah Vickery, director of the Ipswich Poetry Group.
Cynthia August is a commercial portrait photographer living and working in Ipswich, known for her ethereal portraits and abstracts. She writes, teaches and creates photography out of her studio in the Tyler Building. https://www.cynthiaaugust.com
Sarah Vickery is an activist, poet and performer as well as the current director of the Ipswich Poetry Group, a long-standing and well-respected writers group that holds monthly poetry events and working sessions.
Ipswich Poetry Group is a poetry, writing and performance group that has been meeting since 2000. It was founded by Dorothy Laurence as a critique and support space for local poets and has expanded to include monthly open mics that include spoken word, music, and more. IPG meets on the 2nd & Wednesdays every month at 6:30pm in the Ipswich Public Library. Our open mics are held at Zumi's Espresso & Ice Cream at 6pm on the 3rd Saturday of every month. E-mail ipswichpoetrygroup@gmail.com or call Sarah at 617-584-7025 to learn more.
###
VERSE/VISUAL: A collaboration between poets and photographers
October 4-6, 2019
Invitation Only Preview Friday October 4th 4-5:45pm
Public Opening with Reception and Readings Friday October 4th6-9 pm
Gallery Open During Ipswich Illumination Saturday October 5thwith events from 6pm-9:30pm
Gathr work
42 Market Street,
Ipswich, MA 01938
For more information, visit http://www.versevisual.com/
VERSE/VISUAL IPSWICH
CONTACT
Cynthia August
Cynthia@CynthiaAugust.com
978-998-2228