The opening of our four-person exhibition at the Bassett Gallery at the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County in Camden, South Carolina was graced by an ekphrastic poetry reading by Mind Gravy poetry. This group of latter day troubadours collaborates with visual artists to compose poetry and music in homage to the exhibited work. The following poem was composed by Tamara Miles and was influenced by both the sculptural chairs of Lee Malerich as well as my painting, Cold Morning. Primitive
by Tamara Miles
Winter in Holland, accented
open space, cast off, tumbled chairs
that trace to our ancestral days.
Storied evolution of seats -
folk culture, anthropology -
throne or rocker, high wooden stool,
chair from which a chaperone stares,each formed with a creative bent
to tender our hours quiet,
spent alone or near our dearest.
Out here, ghosts claim the catbird seat,
immutable, secure, they stay.
I do not dare to seal these chairs,
nor set them right or bear away
what seems to be abandoned now.
The ancients see it so and smile.
Pawed feet, the chairs may come alive,
in rhythms of their own arise,
and take as dancing partners trees.
I think I see their silhouettes -
The gods of furniture design
surprised to see their chairs grown wild.
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