Cole Swensen Livres

A collection of hybrid essays on landscape and visual art that implicitly recognizes our obligations to the earth and presents the earth in ways that make others recognize them too.

Set in fifteenth-century France, this poetry collection delves into the transition from the medieval world to the Renaissance, addressing themes like the plague and artistic evolution. Inspired by the illuminations of the Tres Riches Heures, the poems examine the interplay between visual and verbal arts and history, revealing how they can prefigure, shape, or comment on historical events. Through a blend of subjects, the work offers a rich exploration of cultural transformation during a pivotal era.

Exploring the intersection of poetry, information theory, and biology, this collection features critical essays, interviews, and reviews by contemporary poet Cole Swensen. It delves into how recent poetic experiments reflect a new generation's poetics, emphasizing language as both an artistic medium and a means of communication. By applying the model of self-organization from noise, the work expands on Ezra Pound's assertion about literature, offering fresh insights into the evolving nature of poetry in today's context.

The poems delve into the relationship between writing and visual arts, specifically focusing on late medieval and early Renaissance paintings. They examine writing not only as a means of expression but also as a visual form, creating patterns and serving as a catalyst for imagery. Through this exploration, the work highlights the interplay between language and visual representation, inviting readers to consider how words can evoke visual experiences.

Exploring the interplay between culture and nature, this poetry-essay delves into the profound impact of the river on human experience. It weaves together lyrical reflections and insightful commentary, examining how the river shapes identity, community, and the environment. Through vivid imagery and philosophical musings, the work invites readers to contemplate the river's significance as both a physical entity and a symbol of deeper connections within our lives.

Exploring the interplay between language and existence, this work emphasizes a dynamic relationship where words and the world co-create meaning. Swensen invites readers to embrace a primal form of poetry that transcends rigid definitions and certainties, celebrating the ongoing mystery of life. The text serves as a reminder of the vital connections that bind individuals, suggesting that understanding arises not from categorization but from the fluid dance of language and thought.

Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, established in 1838, is a renowned attraction showcasing stunning landscapes, grave architecture, and world-class statues. Photographer Bethany Eden Jacobson captures its beauty across seasons in her evocative photographs. Accompanied by Cole Swensen's lyrical text, the work reflects on life's transience and nature's harmony.

Delving into ancient fables, the Bible, medieval records, Victorian ghost stories, contemporary interviews, and more, this title explores the effects of the ghostly on our daily lives, at times returning to the notion of gravesend, implicitly asking if all ends in the grave or if death itself has an end.

A radiant new book-length sequence chronicling the ways observation creates landscape