Peter Doig

For one of the exercises on the course we were asked to create poems from paintings in the Walker Museum in Liverpool. These are viewable on-line

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walker/collections/

The painting I chose to write about was Peter Doig's Blotter and now by one of those strange co-incidences in life I discover that there is an exhibition of his work at Tate Britain including Blotter. It was reviewed in yesterday's Guardian newspaper and there is an interview with him on their website

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/visualart/story/0,,2247444,00.html

I'm arranging with a friend to go and see the exhibition and feel so excited at the prospect of seeing the work in real life.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/gallery/2008/feb/04/1?picture=332367231

Blotted

The winter trees in monchrome
not dissolving but stark black
on grey behind the white
bank of snow. You standing
on the frozen pond with the light
making swirls around your feet.

You’re looking down
watching the ripples spread out
from where you stopped.
The water pumped across
the ice to create the effect
I wanted to photograph.

In a moment you’ll look up
frowning. Take your chilled
hands out of their pockets.
Wave them to get the circulation
going again. Tell me
to get a bloody move on.