The bright colours and flames on the front cover of ‘Tenebrosian Ekphrasticity’ give some indications of what is on offer inside, and the readers certainly are in for a literary treat. This collaboration between Al Monde, Ian Henery, Brendan Hawthorne, Jason Fullwood and Steven C.Davis is a thought provoking collection.
The range of artwork by Monde, Fullwood and Davis has been uniquely and creatively interpreted by Ian Henery and Brendan Hawthorn into poems. The artwork has been created through various artistic techniques, from oil on canvas, charcoal on textured paper to acrylics.
The artwork is also accompanied by the artist’s own short description of what they intended to represent. The journey through the book leads the reader through various stages of emotion, in both visual and literary form, dark, raw and unfiltered. The individuals’ artistic styles give this book dimension, and each artist meticulously uses the colour palate according to the emotions that they are trying to evoke.
This collaboration exploring ‘Ekphrasticity’ is a powerful tool, engaging the reader both visually and mentally. Exploration of feelings of anger, remorse, loss, and love has been exhibited in not only the artwork but also in the interpretation expressed in the poems. The poetic styles ranging from Villanelles, Haiku’s and Freestyle celebrates the reason why this collaboration has not in any way restricted the poetic mind and has worked so successfully.
A visually enticing and intriguing treat, celebrating the dark, the unspoken, and unapologetic in it’s delivery is not only hauntingly beautiful but also absolutely fascinating.
