Aferlives

In his book Afterlives, John Barnie responds to a group of paintings in Peter Lords art collection, inhabiting the images and speaking from within or engaging with their subjects as a persona just outside the frame. The poems reverberate with the ghosts from the pictures, rich with social commentary and delivered with wit and mischief. They have a serious intent at work, the voice of those who know 'whose tragedy they are in—' their own and who will defy anything that gets in their way.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 54 pages
Publication date: 06 May 2021
Publisher: Cinnamon Press

In his book "A Year of Flowers," John Barnie delved into the realm of images, employing his keen perception to engage with a collection of paintings in the art gallery of Peter Lords. These images, which had been familiar to Barnie for years, were approached with a characteristic freshness and humanity that imbued them with a new life. Rather than mere descriptions, Barnie inhabited the images, speaking from within or engaging with their subjects as a persona just outside the frame. As he did so, the reader was transported on a narrative journey, gaining insight into the complex interplay between poetry and art. Through the examination of these images, "Afterlives" revealed the layers of history and the societal norms that had formed into hierarchies, prejudices, injustices, and the inability to bridge cultural gaps. The poems in "Afterlives" resonated with the ghosts of the pictures, whose roles were still being played out in the divisive echo-chambers of today's insiders and outsiders. Rich with social commentary, delivered with wit and a hint of mischief, there was a serious intent at work in this collection. The voices of those who recognized their own tragedy and were determined to defy any obstacle that stood in their way resounded through the pages.

Weight: 130g
Dimension: 155 x 166 x 7 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788649254