Monday, February 22, 2010

'POETRY IS INDISPENSABLE - IF ONLY I KNEW WHAT FOR.'

Jean Cocteau said that. Cocteau is quoted in opening to Ernst Fischer's first chapter on 'The Function of Art' in Pelican original The Necessity of Art.

Factory girl Peter Butler was born at the Mothers' Hospital Hackney April 24 1957.

Adopted, brought up, and schooled in southeast London - UK secondary comprehensive system during early 1970s seemed to have failed Pete completely. Into fights with male English teachers, kicked out, then rounds of building sites and local factories at fifteen. Don't understand cos Pete could write what he meant, spell and put apostrophes in right place most of the time.

Employment for boys and girls looking for more permanent employment could be found health, postal and transport sectors. More temporary work found in shops, offices, warehouses and small factories dotted over urban junkscape of suburban redevelopment.

Pete eventually found work building cycle frames for Holdsworthy in Anerley. He enjoyed open-air working encouraged in good weather. This changed when works moved to custom-built factory without windows at Cambridge Grove demolished for warehouse-building after years as milk depot.

Back in the day I said to Pete I needed to make art go to work and he looked at me and said, "Like Elvis Presley?"


Yes. Just like Elvis.

from beat generation ballads sequence

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