Poetry is a mouth; kiss open its language.
Kiss Open Language is an interactive installation. A giant mouth (paper mache, glitter, chicken wire, poetry) sits at 4’x3’ on a wall waiting to be fed poems. Guests are invited to write, draw, and share their own poems and feed the poetry gods.
Poetry is often made to be lofty, inaccessible. So often heard, “I don’t get it.” When I believe there is nothing to “get” about poetry. Have you had a feeling? You can write a poem; you can read poetry.
Various writing materials were placed nearby with prompts to allow attendees of the art event to participate in their own creativity and write poems on paper, pictures, envelopes, and anything in between.
This was first showcased at Charlotte Street Open Studios in 2018 and later in 2019.
Poems written in the first running of the installation. They read as follows:
Middle: I have to accept (crossed out). I have to lose (crossed out). I have to understand (crossed out), I. must surrender to a shadow, a white hot heat sends it pouring from my shoulders and my feet. This is sunlight. I was taught the light was a danger to my skin. everything (crossed out) outside could hurt me. how have I lived inside all this time?
Right: “I was in love with eh man who left me, the man who is him, the man who is myself.”
