Material Poetry

A few days ago the postman brought a packet containing two copies of a handsome little hardback book, Material Poetry, the catalogue of an Irish crafts exhibition that took place at Causey Contemporary in New York earlier this year under the aegis of The American Irish Historical Society.

The exhibition also showcased the first pieces from the STUDIOpractice project, which “facilitates collaboration between the W/WORKSHOP, other leading studios and leading design/architectural practices.”

The catalogue is a collaboration between STUDIOpractice and Coracle Press. As well as a striking set of photographs of the exhibits by Andrew Bradley, the book features an eccentric anthology of Irish poetry selected by Simon Cutts and Jim Mays. The poets featured are:

Brian Coffey
Simon Cutts
Seán Dunne
Kit Fryatt
Vona Groarke
Michael Hartnett
Seamus Heaney (a previously uncollected DART poem)
Trevor Joyce
Billy Mills
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin
Maurice Scully
Eithne Strong
Sheila Wingfield
Augustus Young

And the craftspeople:

Liam Flynn
Sara Flynn
Karl Harron
Mark Hanvey
Joe Hogan
Frances Lambe
Rachel McKnight
Cara Murphy
Nest Design
Eily O’Connell
Nuala O’Donovan
Kevin O’Dwyer
Angela O’Kelly
Inga Reed
Joseph Walsh Studio
Yaffe Mays

Interesting company.