visual poet: Laura Kerr
interviewer: Elisabeth Sweet
//chat process for (–global): ES asks LK a variety of questions about nature + technology + place.
//to explore ‘global environments’, LK uses artwork she made in the past and describes them in the present.
ES: Are humans the mid-point between nature and technology?
LK: “In A Word Landscape” (2023)
“In A Word Landscape” (2023) explores the poem as the mid-point between nature and technology. The repetitive text suggests digital ecosystems, while the pixelated red color field represents natural forms.
The seamless transition between text and texture highlights this fusion, showing how the poem mediates and redefines the environment. This piece captures the blend of digital and natural elements into a unified vision, reflecting the poem’s role in harmonizing both worlds.
ES: What is the technology of nature?
LK: I wrote this haiku as a title for this poem. I think together they answer this question.
sunflowers
ciphering petals
I lose count
“Sunflowers” (2024) is a visual poem exploring nature through abstract form and color. The patterns and overlapping circles evoke sunflower petals, symbolizing nature’s boundless beauty and intricate structure.
The text, “Sunflowers / ciphering petals / I lose count,” reflects the infinite and meticulous nature of counting petals, illustrating the complexity of natural systems. This piece suggests that the technology of nature lies in its inherent design and patterns, demonstrating how visual elements can convey poetic meaning. As an asemic poem, it invites viewers to explore the intricate technology of nature through a visual and interpretive experience.
ES: How do we connect with our inner nature, using technology?
LK: “Sandbar Poem” (2024)
the tide is out
it will come back
unaccountable
“Sandbar Poem” (2024) explores the connection between our inner nature and the rhythm of natural phenomena through technology. The intricate patterns and colors evoke the shifting sands and water, symbolizing the cyclical movement of tides.
The text, “the tide is out / it will come back / unaccountable,” reflects the unpredictable yet reliable rhythm of nature. This piece illustrates how technology, through digital art, can help us connect with and reflect on the essence of natural processes. By engaging with the visual narrative, viewers are invited to connect with their inner nature, using technology as a bridge to explore and interpret the intricate patterns of the natural world.
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Laura Kerr (@LauraKerrArt) is a Canadian Artist + Visual Poet. She is a recipient of Queen Elizabeth Il Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions in Art. instead of relying on a singular style, Kerr’s work gains recognition through her threading of place + space with & between a wide range of mediums including painting & AI.
Elisabeth Sweet is a poet exploring patterns of randomness between the self and the other. her work has exhibited in group shows in New York City, Paris, and Tallinn. in Berlin, Sweet hosted an exhibition of the poem PIE which she wrote about a relationship in the form of a recipe. for the exhibition, she invited two local bakers to translate PIE into cake, and everyone ate the art. read PIE on Electric Artefacts and follow Sweet at @speciesofvalue on Instagram and X/Twitter.