RELIEF PRINTS | eye2eyeimaging

Meditations of David Avon: A Man of the World

The illustrations (relief prints) were inspired/provoked by the spoken words of David Avon, an eccentric artist and philosopher who frequented Hamilton Artists' Inc. in the 1980's. A man whose earthly ambition was to make known to the world his "definition of a word". I followed Mr. Avon for months visiting his home and walking with him to his various haunts in Hamilton's downtown core chatting, debating and questioning his philosophical constructs. I have collected some of the things he said in daily conversation and interpreted them accordingly in a print edition of relief prints.

1979

The above quote was incised into a linoleum block and then overprinted on japanese rice paper and attached to the limited edition book. Edition size 6. Sorry! Edition Sold Out. Giclee reproductions (Limited editions of 25 are still available for purchase).

Prologue:

"I do not care to make any words that will justify the "Meditations" in terms of their purpose, relevance or meanings. The illustrations were translated from the spoken words of David Avon. A man whose earthly ambition is [was] to make known his definition of a word. The spoken words mean what they say and it is in this light that I have rendered an interpretation. They are meditative only in their ability to be interpreted and the interpretation, if any, is upon the trend of the reader's thoughts.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

And they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. The carnal mind is enmity against God, so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

And then there are some who still vainly search for that redeeming glance of Venus' radiant eye on the back of their derby tickets."

(The Artaud's and the Avon's are the mad poets of our world and through their gifts of eccentricity and insanity we can find our own sense of saneness and bless them for enlightening our path).