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Deren in James Merrill's poetry

posted 20 years ago by bsg223
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Nothing too incisive or interesting here - but for those who fell for Deren's movements, her face, and above all that fantastic second when she swipes at Hammid's face and tears a swath of broken mirror - I encourage you to read James Merrill's "The Book of Ephraim," part of the colleciton "The Changing Light at Sandover." Deren had a major impact on the work and on Merrill's life (although I don't know the extent of their relationship) and she and her films are woven in to the drama that unfolds most beautifully as the group sits around a Oujia board and discover their "patrons" - and lessons about art and life. I came to Deren's film through that poetry and the two enhance each other so much. Best to all.

[–] Eumenides_0 15 years ago

In her autobiography, Between Lives, American surrealist painter Dorothea Tanning says she worked for Maya Deren in some movies. Decades later, after Tanning returned from France following the death of her husband Max Ernst (the two, by the way, appeared in Hans Richter's Dreams That Money Can Buy), Merrill became a mentor to her.

Like your post, there's nothing interesting here; I just wanted to express my enthusiasm at the fact all these unique American artists established relationships across the years; it's like interesting people will find each other sooner or later.

This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel.