05/04/2026
Commemorative sign marking the 60th anniversary of the International Poetry Incarnation last year.
Held on 11 June 1965 at the Royal Albert Hall, the event brought together poets from the Beat and British counterculture scenes for a large public reading attended by several thousand people. Writers including Allen Ginsberg, Adrian Mitchell, and Michael Horovitz read that night. I documented the gathering as part of my Masters degree which the event as a defining moment of the 1960s poetry scene in the UK. The work included conversations I had with poets who participated and is still one of my favourites of all the works I’ve done.
The layout is inspired by banners features in Banner Bright by John Gorman, which documents the art, history, and symbolism of Victorian trade union banners. I was the prefect excuse to combine my love of counterculture literature and the history of signs.
All colours are one-off and hand-mixed using Viponds signwriting enamels. The ribbon blend was built up by masking each section and painting it in stages.
The panel wasn’t quite finished when these photos were taken, which is why the layout appears top-heavy. We moved out before I had the chance to complete it.
With three more days in Australia. I’m at the stage between making future plans and thinking about how time here has will influence me. More on that soon.
