Annual Exhibition, Fine Arts Society, East London

Some of my Poetry Art



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Pastel Work of Leon du Preez



Oil on Canvas by Stuart Lavender



Tim Glasby undoubtedly remains the finest South African Artist during contemporary times. His portrayal of photographic images as oil on canvas brings one to a jolt. It's only after a close view that one has to admit that it is a painting on canvas. Such is the work of Tim Glasby.



Terry Flynn, Assistant Curator of Ann Bryant Art Gallery with artist Judy Fish and her sister

July Afternoon

july afternoon
an unbridled river rushed
down the fort
on to the chironji trees
a battle cry rose
eyes and steel
glinted in forsaken
shadows
a cloud burst galloped
in many a steed
on the dead and dying
the green turbaned man who lives
with bats in the cave
came out again
touched the rain
his eyes swirled
birds screamed
imprisoned
in stronger silence
we had held on to
stones
your hair closed me in
your hands held my thumb
palms caught the language
of rage
a maratha rain
a tale as old as this fort
you said
is a slaughter of rumination
you and me
would still grow
in this broken sun
in a fallacy
of such a gwalior noon.

Poem and Watercolor by Amitabh Mitra

Haiti

people queue for rations
a ravaged sunset hides behind a tall night
a child suddenly just forgot to cry
a mother couldn’t remember her only child
the queue then just touched a solitary sky.


Poem and Ink Drawing by Amitabh Mitra

Siviwe, Poems of Mdantsane

so much has changed
there is no longer the bush war nor
the beatings
siviwe only remembers a sky that staged
a sudden coup
on his dreams and disparity
the sky
the sun
and the overgrown road looks different now
he thinks of the stars
what was once promised to him
his proud khakis still in his shack
tries to stop
a bleeding
river.

Drawing and Poem by Amitabh Mitra

Tembeka

a rustic sun
in stealth
catches
tembeka
through stained glass windows
droplets of green
turns
day
into deeper shades
of a lingering smile.

Poem and Drawing by Amitabh Mitra

Mdantsane Children

mdantsane children take to the streets
happiness is as hungry
a barren sky chides of dreams
the sun looks down
guilty
till
proved
dishevelled laughter
rules.


Poem and Drawing by Amitabh Mitra

Konnagar in Leaping the Lilac Sun

dreams resplendent with green

i walk up the trees reaching the sky

i didn’t find any gashes or bleeding wounds

on its back

nobody has yet stabbed it

birds swim through an easy breast stroke

and flowers bloom as usual after the day closes its shutters

a voice of the baul plays on the strings

of a handloom river

night comes reverently

unleashing its warmth

i sleep unlikely

in the crypt and cradle of your stars.

Poem and Drawing on a hand made paper by Amitabh Mitra

Baul - A traditional folk singer of Bengal

Nebs

earthy constrictions
and a wheeze
a river stopped
and a sky topples
unabated.


Poem and Watercolour by Amitabh Mitra

Leaping the Lilac Sun Launched

After a successful launch of poetry / art book, ‘A Slow Train to Gwalior’, Amitabh Mitra brings you yet another extravaganza of art and poetry in his latest book, ‘Leaping the Lilac Sun’. The book was simultaneously launched at New Delhi and East London today. A coffee table book printed on premium paper, this book is a reflection of contemporary South African Poetry and is a proof of Amitabh Mitra’s close interest in fusion of art with poetry. This book is priced at Rand 700 including postage. Any enquiry to Amitabh at amitabh@amitabhmitra.com

drawing suns near her breast
where the lilacs are the word
of strange blind men
Pritish Nandy
Riding the Midnight River