Eric Mottram Remembered: Videos of the Kings College Conference

Eric Mottram Remembered: Poet, Professor and Cultural Firebrand King’s College, London 23 April 2018 Master of Ceremonies: Clive Bush Videos: Optic Nerve 1 An introduction to the Mottram papers by Valerie Soar, including her recent work Eric, the man and his archive 2 Allen Fisher on The Ethical and Marvellous: Eric Mottram and Visual Art 3 Dale Carter on From State to Doer: Eric Mottram … Read more Eric Mottram Remembered: Videos of the Kings College Conference

Eric Mottram on Triggernometry (5)

V Samuel R. Delany understands more of the myth in his novel The Einsten Intersection (1968), where Billy the Kid appears as a redheaded boy with gold lashes and transparent skin whose eyes ‘had no whites, only glittering gold and brown … dog’s eyes in a human face: “My mother called me Bonny William,” the Kid announces. “Now they all call me Kid Death.” ‘66 Asked why he kills, … Read more Eric Mottram on Triggernometry (5)

Eric Mottram on Triggernometry (4)

IV The reality and fantasy of Billy the Kid contain the social issues. Sam Peckinpah’s Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) needed Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson to attract a public, and in 1974 Dirty Little Billy, starring the radically unheroic Michael J. Pollard, was advertized at the Hiram College, Ohio, cinema Under the rubric: ‘Billy the Kid was a Punk.’ But by this time Hollywood had made … Read more Eric Mottram on Triggernometry (4)

Eric Mottram on Triggernometry (3)

III Walter Prescott Webb’s The Great Plains described the development of the cattle kingdoms of the American West and of the cowboy who worked the ranches and ranges. The Homestead Law of 1862, the invention of barbed wire in 1874, and the advent of the windmill, the railway, artificial irrigation systems, and the automobile combined to shape – and ultimately displace – the West: ‘The life of one man … Read more Eric Mottram on Triggernometry (3)

Eric Mottram on Triggernometry (2)

II The technological morality of gangster and police movies provides a full iconography from the Thirties onwards. The obvious symbolism of black and white shirts is there in cowboy films, of course, together with other ancient characterizations: blonde and brunette, fair and darker skins. But clothing and other ‘extensions of man’ furnish gangster films with their own mythical technology. Large hats and heavy coats signify police in Thirties gangsterdom. … Read more Eric Mottram on Triggernometry (2)

Repeat: Eric Mottram on Triggernometry

Below, the headnote from the first time I posted this essay (December 26, 2012). Reposting it again over the next five days, both because recent events make it retain its usefulness, and as an introduction to next Monday’s conference on Eric Mottram’s work at King’s College, University of London, where I’ll be giving a talk on Mottram’s importance today, 23 years after his death: That lethal all-American gun … Read more Repeat: Eric Mottram on Triggernometry

Eric Mottram on France Culture

While preparing my essay on Eric Mottram for next week’s conference at King’s College London, I came across a radio-program I did for France-Culture in 1983 (available right now as they rebroadcast it in August 2016). It was the opener of a series that also included one-hour programs on Tom Raworth, Bob Cobbing, Allen Fisher & Jeff Nuttall. These last 4 have unhappily not been rebroadcast recently & so … Read more Eric Mottram on France Culture

Eric Mottram Remembered: poet, professor and cultural firebrand

We are pleased to present the following conference, alongside an exhibition of manuscripts, books and digital material relating to Eric Mottram. Sponsored by the Archives Department at King’s College London. Date: Monday 23 April 2018 Duration: 10.00 to 17.30 Location: Council Room, 2nd floor, Strand Building, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS Master of Ceremonies: Clive Bush PROGRAMME: This event will be filmed by Colin Still from Optic Nerve (www.opticnerve.co.uk). … Read more Eric Mottram Remembered: poet, professor and cultural firebrand

Eric Mottram Lives!

Old Eric Mottram friend John Whiting has done us all a great favor by making available some of his tapes of Mottram’s most amazing graduate seminar from the early seventies, “American Imagination of Synthesis,” which I myself also took around 73/74 (my cassette tapes have in the main gone bad — so, double thanks to John!) Here is his latest web announcement: “There’s nothing more exciting than something you don’t … Read more Eric Mottram Lives!

Eric Mottram on Triggernometry (5)

So Nomadics will ring the year out with the final installment of EM’s essay “The Persuasive Lips.” Apologies for leaving the footnotes in a mess, but I simply don’t have the time to reformat these right now. Tomorrow will be another day, we hope. V Samuel R. Delany understands more of the myth in his novel The Einsten Intersection (1968), where Billy the Kid appears as a redheaded boy with … Read more Eric Mottram on Triggernometry (5)