poem for bpNichol
/3
- poem for bpNichol
- 1988
- print and stamp on paper
- 5,4 × 14 cm
Jiří Valoch’s conceptual art did not arise in isolation, much rather being directly influenced by knowledge of contemporary art’s context. Demands for originality and aesthetics were replaced with art as an act of democracy that relies on sharing, participation and exchange. From the second half of the 1960s, he became a part of a global artistic network that generated its own means of distributing, presenting, and preserving artworks. In effect, he created an alternative to the institutionalized art scene—and for artists from totalitarian Czechoslovakia, he was the only one who could provide them with an opportunity to present their art abroad.
Like Valoch, bpNichol was a typical participant in this international network. His activities included the roles of artist, librarian, independent publisher, and theoretician. In Toronto, he joined forces with Dave Aylward to found the independent publishing house Ganglia Press, which focused primarily on publishing new poetry. Valoch repeatedly published his works in the magazine “GrOnk,” which was published by bpNichol and others (David W. Harris, Bill Bissett and Steve McCaffery) from 1967 until bpNichol’s premature death in 1988.
“Poem for bpNichol” was created the day Jiří Valoch received the sad news of bpNichol’s passing. Valoch’s output continued developing toward linguistically oriented conceptual art, for which the rational nature of an artwork was characteristic; in many cases, however, this rationality is mitigated in favor of interpersonal and intimate meanings. Many of his concepts are dedicated to specific people, being a tool of sorts to help facilitate entry into a dialogue that was maintained and cultivated exclusively by mail for years (often until a given artist’s death). J.P.
Like Valoch, bpNichol was a typical participant in this international network. His activities included the roles of artist, librarian, independent publisher, and theoretician. In Toronto, he joined forces with Dave Aylward to found the independent publishing house Ganglia Press, which focused primarily on publishing new poetry. Valoch repeatedly published his works in the magazine “GrOnk,” which was published by bpNichol and others (David W. Harris, Bill Bissett and Steve McCaffery) from 1967 until bpNichol’s premature death in 1988.
“Poem for bpNichol” was created the day Jiří Valoch received the sad news of bpNichol’s passing. Valoch’s output continued developing toward linguistically oriented conceptual art, for which the rational nature of an artwork was characteristic; in many cases, however, this rationality is mitigated in favor of interpersonal and intimate meanings. Many of his concepts are dedicated to specific people, being a tool of sorts to help facilitate entry into a dialogue that was maintained and cultivated exclusively by mail for years (often until a given artist’s death). J.P.