Catalog Page For The Rhythm Of Structure

I had the pleasure to be a part of, "The Rhythm of Structure" poetry event in NYC in the summer of 2010. The John Sims project has had many branches and events over the last three years and is having a closing symposium at the Antioch College in November of 2011. Here is the page for the catalog that I originally made for John. The page shows four mathematical poems of which the bottom one is a substitution poem made by solving the previous two poems for the word "thinking" and setting both of those poems equal to each other and then solving for "Hell."

Mathematical Prose

The 2004 image above is a mapping of Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy and addresses the mechanics of changing spiritual belief. Cognitive Behavioral Science is a great example of this process. I admit that the above work is a rough outline and needs more detail for one to fully grasp what I am pointing at. I plan to use this as a template for other work in the future with more detail.

I think a lot of what is on this blog might be considered mathematical prose (as well as the work displayed above) - it is certainly worth thinking about. On that thought - John Sims pointed me at the following link (here). The following quote came from mentioned link and I think it fits in well with this blog.

Quote:
"Another way we might think about potential literature is via an analogy with potential and kinetic energy. If potential energy is stored in an object, then we might say that potential literature is embedded within a language. In the first case, the field of gravity would determine an object’s potential energy; in the case of literature, the field of memory would determine a work’s potentiality. Pushing the analogy further, we can compare the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy to the conversion of potential literature into real texts. In physics, that conversion is expressed through motion, in literature it is expressed through two related ludic activities, both of them realized at the level of the letter: the crafts of writing and reading with volition."

The quote speaks primarily of Oulipo however I think it can be said of many forms of experimental writing. While I am happy that Ouilpo has so much interest, I am a bit envious due to be believing that there could be a lot more experimentation with "Substitution in Mathematical Poetry" as well. While both are forms of experimental writing the approach language very differently even though I see both being rooted in formal science.

See "Disappearing Context" to add clarity to the images below.

Two similar triangles poems solved for money.

The two equations are set equal to each other

Mathematical Poets at the Bowery Poetry Club NYC

A couple of things of importance concerning the mathematical graffiti wall. The first being a new video of the wall produced by John Sims, the hippest voice in mathematical art – check it out below.


The second is some wonderful photos of the event that Geof Huth just released. (Thank you Geof!) – They can be seen below.

Here is John’s announcement of the event.


Here is a photo of John Sims introducing the event.


Here is Stephanie Strickland reading her response to the wall.


Here is Gregory Vincent St. Thomasino talking cubist poetry


Here is Bob Grumman reading his Poem’s Poem

Here I am talking about Similar Triangles Poems (Which is the type of Poem I put on the wall)


Here is Richard Kostelanetz after his talk about the history of his work.


Here is a group photo



Here is Geof making a contribution to the wall


Here is Geof and Bobs contribution


Here is JoAnne in front of the wall.


Here are some folks checking out the wall/


Here is a photo of the Kumbaya fest at Starbuck’s afterward. What a great time we had chatting about our common interests. (Left to Right) Geof Huth, Bob Grumman, JoAnne Growney, Arnold Skemer, Kaz Maslanka, Karen Orlin, and Richard Kostelanetz

At the Bowery Poetry Club NYC

I got back from NYC last week after being invited by John Sims to participate in the “Mathematical Graffiti Wall” at the Bowery Poetry Club. I scrawled out my proportional poem titled “Afghanistan” on the wall as well as giving a short lecture intended to impart the necessary tools to access the piece. Below is an (poor quality)image of me delivering my lecture -- you can see Poet/Historian Richard Kostelanetz underneath me and mathematical / visual poet Bob Grumman to his right. I am not sure who was wearing the white hat.
After the gig myself, Richard Kostelanetz, Geof Huth, Bob Grumman, JoAnne Growney, and others went for coffee and discussion – I think we all had a great time - I certainly did.


Here is a photo of the wall taken from the stage.


Here is my poem Afghanistan

And you can see it here inked onto the wall.

Speaking of graffiti – here is a photo I shot in the men’s room at the bowery poetry club.



On another note the day before I gave my lecture I went to MOMA to see my old friends (The Tanguy, Magritte, Ernst, Dali, and De Chirico paintings) - I went up to pay my twenty dollars when the man behind the counter told me if I waited twenty minutes I could get in free. He said that I just need to wait in line outside. It was quite a long line and as we were coming in I noticed Bob Grumman about seven people up in front of me. So as fate turned out, I ended up hanging out with him as we viewed the art work. I had a nice chat with him as we covered a lot of territory in our discussions. Below is a photo of him and me in front of the De Chirico Painting “Gare Montparnasse” (The Melancholy of Departure).

John Sims' Mathematical Art Poem

Here is John Sims and company doing their mathart poem originally performed at the Bowery Poetry Club NYC.
Check it out!

John Sim's Mathematical Graffiti Wall

John Sim's Mathematical Grafitti Wall is taking shape at the Bowery Poetry Club in NYC. If you are Mathy and in NYC drop by an put your favorite equation on the wall. If you are in the NYC area on July 10 2010 drop by for a night of Mathematical Poetry Reading with visuals. There will be all of the most active Equational Mathematical Poets in America reading there!

John Sims

While I was in NYC to take down the show I met John Sims at the Bowery Poetry Club. (Photo above) We discussed the upcoming event on mathematical graffiti for which Richard Kostelanetz, Gregory Vincent St. Thomasino, Stephane Strickland, Bob Grumman and myself will be performing in some capacity – not sure what I will be doing but, I will keep you informed. The photo below is the Recent show of Sol LeWitt - Adrian Piper that John put together at the Club.




The video below is John Sims talking about the upcoming events at the Bowery Poetry Club in NYC. My apologies to John for the poor sound quality. If you are on facebook you can follow John at: http://www.facebook.com/rhythmofstructure

Rhythm of Structure

John Sims has been putting together a series of mathart events in NYC which will occur at different times throughout the year. I am looking forward to an event later this next summer for which Richard Kostelanetz, Gregory Vincent St. Thomasino, Bob Grumman, Stephane Strickland and myself will be involved. To get on Johns Mailing list - contact him @ RhythmOfStructure@gmail.com