Ezra Pound, psychotic genius poster boy
Here is BG's portrait of the old Ezra Pound (1885-1972), "grandfather of modern poetry" and certified nut case. BG did another painting of the young Ezra, which will soon be added here.
Ezra was a true poster boy for raving lunacy and the absolute epitome of the classic "mad genius." As an American expatriate in Italy, he adored Mussolini and other assorted fascist phenom. He wound up being tried for treason in the US, found insane, and sentenced to an asylum for ca. 12 years, where he continued to produce his brilliant verse. He also had a menage a trois going for many years between his wife and some other artsy babe. He was pals with, and influenced, countless fellow writers and artists. In short, he wasn't very p.c., but he was one heck of an uber-demento guy.
posted by elvira black @ 4:13 PM
12 Comments:
I wonder why so many creative people are nuts?
Great pic, BG is talented. Genius is what creates the madness, madness creates the words and sights that we so admire. Gotta be nuts to appreciate the beauty of a plastic bag flopping in the breeze? Let's be peanuts!
An interesting link: Bipolar Disorder and the Creative Genius
Blackie,
Please help me-I'm talented... and misunderstood. All BG's pic's are
real "keepers". I have one posted on my wall of fame concerning the "Mexican Panhandler". He gave it to me for my 30th B-Day. If stolen, I will hunt down the thief and cut his throat! (It's covered
under my added personal umbrella plan on my homeowner's insurance policy).
BLLB
Reverend Z, thanks for the link. Rob--never better put.
BGLB, that's great that you saved BG's "Mexican Panhandler" from days of yore. Many of his old effforts have endured a much less auspicious fate. Some got trashed as he moved from place to place; some were given to people he now hates.
Many moons ago, one old friend of BG's and his young bride received a painting of a bloody, agonized Christ on the cross, done at an alarming angle, looking down from the top of the head, as a wedding present. They tried hanging it over their bed for awhile, but it started giving them nightmares so they had to take it down. I think they put it in the attic along with the Ouija boards and other items they were afraid to discard for fear of infuriated supernatural forces from beyond wreaking vengeance on them.
Here's another interesting link:
http://bipolar.about.com/od/celebrities
Awesome paintings! They just jump right off the page. So eerie and life-like.
Thanks Amy!
Yeah, I think BG's mental illness(es) have a lot to do with his Expressionist style, for sure.
Another smokin' piece from BG! Hoorah!!
Ol' EP looks kinda like one of those sketchy Roman Emperors; all sinister and crazy eyed from drinking too much heated wine out of lead goblets.
Reminds me of Peter O'Toole as Caesar Tiberius in that old 70's flick, Caligula; kinda like some demented Senator you would see in Gladiator.
Anywho, again some great work. Keep it up BG!
H:
You have the most ingenious way of putting things. BG laughed and laughed over your 'hot wine in lead goblets' comment. I haven't heard anything about Ezra having any substance abuse issues, though. I think he was just in a perpetual alternative "State" located in some bizarre poetic parallel universe.
Look--up at the signpost, straight ahead. Your next stop: The Twilight Zone....
To BG,
You're my swollen-brained, pomo-art, NYC-fated HERO! I have almost 40 feet of wall to put pic's on, called my "Wall of Fame". Too bad most of them presently hanging aren't of your neat stuff.
You already know about SOTB boy hanging there from my 30th!
BLLB
BLLB:
All you guys have extraordinary gifts--I've heard you play that guitar! Wowee! Awesome...
Well, I'm glad BG can have a little online gallery here. His walls are graced with some of his portraits, but as I said, only the super ever sees them. Q'uel d'hommage...
Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!
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