November 8th 2024 - Ian Hamilton Finlay and John Furnival in Concrete Poetry - Ian Hamilton Finlay (IHF) is unquestionably the doyen of British Concrete Poetry; his work and garden is justly renowned internationally. When IHF moved from standard poetic forms to Concrete (Visual) poetry, influenced by poets in São Paulo (Brazil), John was one of the first artists choosen by IHF to produce some of his early and important work. Amongst these are the column poem 'wind/wave', the pamphlet "After the Russian', the poster poems 'Great Bear Constellation' and 'Le Circus', the prints 'Xmas Star' and 'Xmas Rose"; the publications 'Poor.Old.Tired. Horse 13', 19 and 23 ('Teapoth'), the Openings folder 'Pole Night', the booklet 'Headlines Pondlines' and the folio of prints 'headlines/eavlines" in collaboration with John's students at the Bath Academy of Art (Corsham).
Although the collaboration between IHF and JF was beneficial to both, their relationship ended in acrimony, seemingly for two reasons. Firstly, and as outlined in letters from IHF to Ernst Jandl, IHF complained that John would not do as he instructed. John, for his part, regarded their collaboration as just that - a collaboration - and not a 'dictaorship'! Secondly, as reported by both John and Astrid Furnival, IHF asked John to beat up a publisher because IHF wanted him punished for doing imperfect work! John complained that beating up someone was not his style, and anyway, when on the odd occasion he tried it, he always came off worse.
