Briana McCarthy

For the Research Festival, I will contribute a hand bound book of poetry. The 30 - 40 poems in the book have been inspiration for, inspired by, and written alongside my visual artwork throughout the MA course and touch on the same themes: grief, mourning, and identity with the addition of grief.

There will be a single book, 20 x 15cm, displayed on a shelf or book stand that allows the cover to be easily seen. Preferably, the book will be in a space that includes seating, allowing for a comfortable, more focused reading experience: the volume of poems included requires more than a standing glance.

The book will be a fairly traditional design, meant to be handled. I am interested in publishing written work in the future that can be printed and distributed in large quantities, so working with a traditional design serves me well. Thematically, a more modest design serves too. Grief is a universal experience, yet also very individual and personal, so a traditional, universal book design with something very personal and individual inside suits. There is also something of a hard cover that quietly speaks to protectiveness and strength, reflecting one of my main critical reflection queries in Unit 3.

Having considered mechanical printing processes, the text will be handwritten. Other processes felt too impersonal for this moment. I hope the handwritten text creates a more intimate experience for the reader, evoking the feeling of reading a diary. I do have concerns about legibility, so I will be taking great care as I put the poems to paper, carrying over notes of repetition, a bit of suffering, and ritual action from my visual art practice.