Emma, Plain Emma
Contributed by Tuomo Metso
on Mar 23rd, 2015. Artwork published in
.
Poetry and visual artwork by Rowena Dunlap Burke and Eric Hovermale. License: All Rights Reserved.
“They Call me Emma, Plain Emma.”
Emma, Plain Emma is an art object by Rowena Dunlap Burke (poetry) and Eric Hovermale (imagery) installed at the Newport Art Museum in Newport, Rhode Island.
Its protagonist is Emma Helmine Caroline Josephine Wagner (1893–1974) who is depicted in a life-size photograph. Superimposed is a poem written like an autobiography and set in Emily In White, a typeface based on the handwriting of Emily Dickinson. The unique balance between verbal, typographic and photographic elements in this artwork is made perfect by translucent background material and soft backlighting.
Poetry and visual artwork by Rowena Dunlap Burke and Eric Hovermale. License: All Rights Reserved.
“My father is a tailor and my mother is a dressmaker. / I excel at both trades.”
Poetry and visual artwork by Rowena Dunlap Burke and Eric Hovermale. License: All Rights Reserved.
“And though I am plain, I make beautiful things.”
Poetry and visual artwork by Rowena Dunlap Burke and Eric Hovermale. License: All Rights Reserved.
Poetry and visual artwork by Rowena Dunlap Burke and Eric Hovermale. License: All Rights Reserved.
4 Comments on “Emma, Plain Emma”
Very elegant!
A more perfect combination of image & poetry I cannot imagine
I can only say “Wow” to this – a synergy we all aim to achieve. Thanks.
I recall a poem by Rowena that had a line, “…peach juice dribbles down my chin”…from the early 70's. But have not found an anthology. But perhaps I am mistaken in which Rowena Dunlap is depicted here. All I know is she is one of the best poets I have read and seemed to my limited Montana perspective at the time to be rather amazingly gifted at writing poems, and experiencing life…I am glad I found this particular representation of work.. thank you