By nature, "Howl" is a very graphic poem, filled with many images and sensations that are easily conjured by the mind. Although Eric Drooker didn't manage to capture every line as I envisioned, there were several illustrations in Howl: A Graphic Novel that I found to be particularly interesting and expressive.
Drooker, Pg. 125 |
This particular illustration shows the silhouette of a man on a rooftop as her stares down at a hazy and undefined city. I thought that this illustration captured the collapsing sense of idealism in its related lines. The "last fantastic book flung out of the tenement window" seems to be a doubt over the power and self-assurance of "best minds" of the Beat generation. Mainstream rejection and internal struggles with drugs, poverty, and hardship seem to have eroded the confidence and freedom of these creators. There's a definite sense of anxiety and confusion in this section, and Ginsberg seems to be questioning reality itself, as he isn't sure if past memories were simply an idealistic "bit of hallucination." The speaker's inability to converse with anyone creates feelings of alienation, confinement, and missed opportunity. The tone of the poem seems to shift in this section, as Ginsberg gains the perspective on outsider, removed from his generation and looking in, similar to the man in Drooker's illustration. The image also captures a sense of rejection from society, and the eventual isolation from self, which are both themes throughout "Howl."
"ah, Carl, while you are not safe I am not safe, and now
you’re really in the total animal soup of time—"
I found the artwork on this page
to be particularly interesting, mainly because it reminded me of Impressionist
& Post-Impressionist paintings. After thinking about these
artistic movements in comparison to Beat writing, I found myself drawing
several parallels. At their core, both movements were focused on capturing a
moment or experience and preserving the emotional impact. There was an evident
desire in both parties to produce an artistic creation to ensure that no
seemingly simple sight or event was fleeting or forgotten. Although the Impressionist
artists already defied artistic convention, the Post-Impressionists took this
exploration further, similar to the way the Beats created new literary
standards and forms. Post-Impressionist painters used a more dynamic and
expressive color palate, turned more toward abstraction rather than capturing
lighting, and delved into the structure behind their subjects. Many people
critiqued he "messy" brushstrokes of these painters and were critical
of the thick and textured impasto technique but, as in the case of the Beats,
there was a method and organization behind the seeming madness.
Vincent van Gogh, Road with Cyprus and Star, c. 1890, oil on Canvas |
In class, we spoke of the Post-Impressionist painter Cézanne's tendency to boldly mix colors into combinations that seemed strange and unrelated, similar to Ginsberg's experimentation with language (such as the jarring phrase "atomic jukebox"). Although we discussed Cézanne in class, this particular illustration by Drooker reminded me more of van Gogh's aesthetic, which focused on combining bold colors and images into a cohesive whole, while the individual strokes and parts still remained distinct and present.
Vincent van Gogh, Wheatfield with Crows, c. 1890, oil on Canvas |
Sydney: Huh! I know I mentioned about Cezanne in class but I never made the connection to Drooker. After reading your post and also seeing the image you uploaded, I am now convinced that there is a connection (and since Drooker had conversations with Ginsberg, it may be deliberate). Really nice pick up!
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about paintings, but this is really interesting. I can definitely see similar aesthetics in the pictures you provided, so I think you're on to something.
ReplyDeleteThese are some really great examples from the graphic novel, and I really liked the connection to Van Gogh!
ReplyDeleteSydney:
ReplyDeleteI noticed the van Gogh resemblance too. Those brushstrokes are unmistakable!