fractal economies

By (author): Derek Beaulieu

In fractal economies, derek beaulieu pushes the limits of poetry and poetics by grinding language through the mill of photocopiers, found material, collage, printmaking, frottage and Letraset—creating a new language for the genre. These “fractal economies,” or series of increasingly complex replications of forms through the repeated application of a fixed set of rules, challenge the status quo of poetry and of the politics of language itself, which is, with respect to any human script yet deciphered, capitalist in its very origin. Letters are freed from their “normal” behaviour, machines are let loose to create on their own and the borders between poetry and artwork are blurred. In an intriguing and well-argued afterword, beaulieu also theorizes ways that concrete poetry—poetry that deals with language in a physical, material way—can move forward into the twenty-first century beyond the limitations of the page, the author and even the poem itself.

AUTHOR

Derek Beaulieu

Poet, editor, critic and publisher derek beaulieu is the current poet laureate of Calgary. rob mclennan is an Ottawa-based poet, editor, publisher and critic, and co-publisher of Chaudiere Books.


Reviews

“Never read a book of concrete poetry before? This might be the one to hook you.”
FFWD


“Represents[s] truly the best of beaulieu’s poetic practice.”
Prairie Fire Review of Books


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Excerpts & Samples ×

In fractal economies, derek beaulieu pushes the limits of poetry and poetics by grinding language through the mill of photocopiers, found material, collage, printmaking, frottage and Letraset—creating a new language for the genre. These “fractal economies,” or series of increasingly complex replications of forms through the repeated application of a fixed set of rules, challenge the status quo of poetry and of the politics of language itself, which is, with respect to any human script yet deciphered, capitalist in its very origin. Letters are freed from their “normal” behaviour, machines are let loose to create on their own and the borders between poetry and artwork are blurred. In an intriguing and well-argued afterword, beaulieu also theorizes ways that concrete poetry—poetry that deals with language in a physical, material way—can move forward into the twenty-first century beyond the limitations of the page, the author and even the poem itself.

Reader Reviews

Details

Dimensions:

96 Pages
9in * 229mm * 6in * 152mm * 0.3125in8mm
170gr
6oz

Published:

February 01, 2006

City of Publication:

Vancouver

Country of Publication:

CA

Publisher:

Talonbooks

ISBN:

9780889225398

Book Subjects:

POETRY / Canadian

Featured In:

All Books

Language:

eng

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