Object Poems

Michael Basinski
Buffalo, New York

These prepared tubes are “opems,” which are poems for improvisational performance. Perform the opems in ensemble via improvisational interpretation by “reading” and voicing the textual elements through the tubes (or not) and around them. These opems are instruments and should be treated as such and they are scores and, again, should be engaged as such. Use silents and sound. Play. Orchestrate. Duration is variable.  

Prepared Tube One: Song of the Red Toad.

Paper tube, with found collage materials, pens, and markers. 2011. Unique.

$300  

To purchase, please contact Laura at 23 Sandy Gallery.

Above Image, from left to right, tubes Three, One, and Two.

Prepared Tube Two: Song of the Red Lips.

Paper tube, with found collage materials, pens, and markers. 2011 Unique

$100 

To purchase, please contact Laura at 23 Sandy Gallery.

Prepared Tube Three: Nefertiti's Cigarette.

Paper tube, with found collage materials, pens, and markers. 2011. Unique

$100

To purchase, please contact Laura at 23 Sandy Gallery.

Above image: details of tubes Three and One (left and right)

About the Artist

Michael Basinski is the Curator of the Poetry Collection of the University Libraries, the University at Buffalo. He performs his work as a solo poet and in ensemble with BuffFluxus. Among his many books of poetry are Poems Popeye Papyrus (Slack Buddha Press), Of Venus 93 (Little Scratch Pad), All My Eggs Are Broken (BlazeVox) and Trailers (BlazeVox). His poems and other works have appeared in many magazines including Dandelion, BoxKite, Open Letter, Torgue, Explosive Magazine, First Offense, Terrible Work, Kenning, Lungfull, Lvng, Generator, Tinfish, Curicule Patterns, Score, Unarmed, Rampike, House Organ, Ur Vox, Damn the Caesars, Pilot, 1913, Filling Station, Talisman, Western Humanities Review, Vanitas, Public Illumination, and Poetry.

Detail: Prepared Tube One