Dancing Young Men and Octopii

posted & written by Caroline Picard

Last week we released the North Georgia Gazette. As part of that release, we had two readings–one at The Whistler, the other at 57th Street Books in Hyde Park. At The Whistler, Basia Kapolka read on behalf of the Gazette, reciting a poem about the setting of the sun for three months. John Huston followed with a lecture about his recent expedition to the Arctic and after that Lily Robert-Foley read some passages from her end notes. We were lucky enough to see Devin King read as well–he had prepared a response to the Gazette (it’s awesome: it involves ghosts and villianized octupii and Victor Hugo) and I will post part of that response below, encouraging all of you to follow it up to his blog, Dancing Young Men From High Windows. After that, Nick Butcher from Sonnenzimmer played with Jason Stein. The whole thing was fantastic (I thought) and while an awkward MC, I had a great time.

Devin also read this piece at 57th Street Books–a nice gathering, slightly more intimate, there was an old couple in the corner who chuckled periodically. Another girl eating a sandwich. Anyway. Many thanks to our hosts for letting us have the reading, both were exceedingly gracious (Paul (the bartender and mastermind drink gourmet), for instance, would shake his cocktails in the basement stairwell to avoid making noise–I couldn’t believe how considerate)….and of course to all participants, helpers, proofreaders and contributors: here’s to a job well done and thank you thank you thank you.

Victor Hugo’s Last Musical

The musical’s grand opener is called, “We belong to the night,” and then there’s the famous actor Hooper, done up in a pelt but looking like a bat, bounding on all fours, giggling, his back to the curtain, trying to find a dark, circular, puzzle image. There is a detachment in his gambol, a kind of stoicism of the present; the alternately accusing and mutely questioning face of a dead man is all that describes his strange twisting associative dance. All features belong to the actor, Hooper, himself: a force utterly deployed in the world at any given moment, entirely characterized by its full set of features.
§
Ever since the philosophers distinguished the living from the non-living children have seemed to display an extensive capacity for awe and wonder along with their horror, a horror that remains distinctly consistent, arising from an experience of cognitive dread which cannot be escaped or evaded. At times Hooper’s actions on the stage suggest that all humans takes things “as” what they are, the actor claims that even blindly using a hammer takes it “as” a hammer. It was such an unusual and unlikely event, this musical; like when the centaur is mated with the cheetah, and their off-spring is not some hellish monstrosity, but a thoroughbred colt able to carry us for half a century and more.
§
In the autumn of 1853 Victor Hugo’s family began talking to ghosts. The American habit of table-tapping had reached Europe a few months earlier and the Hugos, bored and in exile, began by contacting their child Leopoldine, who had drowned in a boating accident ten years earlier. At first a sarcastic patriarch, Victor became enthralled by the practice and eventually would talk to Dante, Shakespeare, Moliere, Aeschylus, Galileo, Moses, Jesus Christ, St. Augustine, Voltaire, and Death itself.

Please go here to continue reading.

Time Out Chicago: Books Fall Review

posted by Caroline Picard

We were lucky enough to get a little plug for the North Georgia Gazette release this Tuesday (The Whistler) and Thursday (57th Street Books). You can check the whole piece out by going here. They also point out  A Gate At The Stairs by Lorrie Moore and Bright-Sided by Barbara Ehrenreich.

Books

Fall Preview 2009

The North Georgia Gazette
September
We’ve been singing the praises of Green Lantern Press long past the point of hoarseness, and we’re guessing with this release, there will be some new members of the chorus. The Chicago press is reprinting an edition of The North Georgia Gazette ($30), a newspaper written and produced by English sailors in 1819. Another reason to be intrigued: Printmaking ace Nick Butcher of Sonnenzimmer has also made a limited-edition cover.

The North Georgia Gazette Release: 09/01 & 09/03

posted by Caroline Picard

Just because we don’t have a location doesn’t mean we’re giving up! (In fact we’re releasing a record number of books this fall. Seven. That’s right. We’re putting out seven super fantastic books and if you want to see what’s coming up, you can go here.) But more to the point:

The Green Lantern Press is proud to announce the release of THE NORTH GEORGIA GAZETTE  at The Whistler on Tuesday September 1st 2009 at 8pm. And, on Thursday September 3rd at 6pm at 57th Street Books.

The Whistler: located at: 2421 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647-2627 (773) 227-3530
Arctic Explorer John Huston will give a 30 minute presentation about his latest (unassisted) expedition through the North West Passage followed by  readings from the Gazette by poet/transcriber Lily Robert-Foley and resident performer Basia Kapolka. After that, Devin King and Michael Thibault will collaborate on a reading/musical performance responding to the Gazette. “Home-made electrical musician” Nick Butcher of Sonnenzimmer and bassist/clarinet player Jason Stein will close the evening with an original music performance. This event is Free. Books will be available for purchase at a discount. (See prices/publication description below).

At 57th Street Books is located down in Hyde Park at: 1301 E 57th St,  Chicago, IL 60637-1724 (773) 684-1300. On  Thursday September 3rd at 6pm there will be a mellower evening where the audience is encouraged to ask any and all questions. Here again, Lily Robert-Foley will read alongside Caroline Picard with a Q&A to follow. This event is free.

The North Georgia Gazette is an original newspaper from 1821 published by a fleet of sailors trapped in the Arctic for eight months of darkness. In order to ward off scurvy, their Captain Parry insisted they put on plays for one another and keep a newspaper featuring only happy news. Re-released by The Green Lantern Press, our new edition features excerpts from the Captain’s Journal, the newspaper in its entire, an essay by contemporary Arctic explorer John Huston, end notes by transcriber/poet Lily Robert-Foley and original artwork by Daniel Anhorn, Jason Dunda, Rebecca Grady, and Deb Sokolow. This book was printed in an edition of 250 with original silk screen covers, a limited edition 7″ record by Nick Butcher and is available for $30. Advance copies for sale now. Books will be available at both venues for a discounted price of $25.

BIOS & Links:

http://www.forwardexpeditions.com/ (john huston)
http://www.katharinemulherin.com/dynamic/artist.asp?ArtistID=27&Count=0 (jason dunda)
http://danielanhorn.com/home.html (daniel anhorn)
http://debsokolow.com/home.html (deb sokolow)
http://www.rubaccaquon.com/ (rebecca grady)
http://www.programmablepress.com/jan08/nickbutcher.html (nick butcher)

Lily Robert-Foley writes plays, teaches piano and makes radical linguistic translation devices known as machines. Her work has and will have appeared in bathhouse, digital artifact, viviparous blenny and Omni a Vanitas. She is also the author of 12 Graphemachines, forthcoming as part of Xeroxial Edition’s Xerolage series.

Basia Kapolka is an actor, writer and director living in Chicago. Most recently she wrote and directed Jinx, a play based on the novel by Theophile Gautier at Act One Studios. She is also the Green Lantern’s resident actor.

A philologist with a heart of gold, Devin King writes about pop music for The Boston Phoenix, teaches poetry to young adults, and probably listens to too many showtunes and too much bubblegum pop. His serial-opera Dancing Young Men From HIgh Windows can be seen bouncing monthly from gallery to gallery in Chicago and his long poem, CLOPS, will be out from the Green Lantern Press in fall 2009.

Michael Thibault is a time-based artist, painter and curator.  A solo show of his video work entitled Love’s Secret Domain will be shown in New York in the spring of 2010.  Michael will debut his new, yet-to-be-named gallery space in Chicago’s Humbolt Park in the fall of 2009.  He is also a member of the bands Silk Stalkings, Pleasure Principle, and The Paradise Spell.

THE GAZETTE IS GOING ON TOUR!
A travelling exhibition featuring a handful of artist included in the publication are scheduled to exhibit at AS220 in Providence Rhode Island, this Oct/Nov & at fluxSPACE in Philadephia this February. Additional information available.