THE BIRD PHOENIX

Mail art for Constança Lucas in Brazil who proposes a prject on books! Accompanied by present letter:

Brussels, 24 March 2011


Dear Constança,


Art inspired by books, what a great idea. I've chosen to contribute some art based on the book "De vogel Phoenix" or "The bird Phoenix" by M. VASALIS, a poetry edition by a Dutch poet, first published in 1947.
She was a very popular poet in The Netherlands and lived between 1909 and 1998.
She only published 3 books during her life: Parks and deserts in 1940, The bird Phoenix in 1947 and Vistas and Faces in 1954. After her death was published The old coastline (2002).
She silenced herself because she combined a personal tragedy (the death of a child) with a general loss (the holocaust during world war two).
The discussion "is it still possible to write poetry after Auschwitz?" (cfr the famous poem discussion between Adorno and Paul Celan) she answered by a refusal to publish what she occasionally had written.
Vasalis is a classic poet; not a modernist but some of her poems and sentences are so magnificent she was and still is a major poet, known by most who speak Dutch and who are interested in literature. On my personal blog (http://guidovermeulen.blogspot.com) you'll find the cover of the 48th edition and reprint of The bird Phoenix (in 2009).

I am sending you some older work that was ghost phoenix inspired: a large postcard edition and a colored version.
On the envelope is a new work, not in the requested postcard size, but hey you can reduce the size to a postcard with a scanner or cut even the painting to that size around the central bird image if you like that. Feel free to do as you please.

Included is also an invitation to participate at my new project: "the book of Ann", which you can follow on the blog http://thebookofann.blogspot.com


Postal greetings,


Guido