Translator's Preface
by Harry Polkinhorn
Art and People: Latin American Art in Our Time presents Clemente
Padin's thoughts on the avant-garde movements in culture with which he
has been intimately associated over the last thirty years. Little known
in the monolingual English-speaking world, these movements include the
international mail art network, of which Padin is an historical figure
throughout Latin America and beyond, and especially in Objectless Poetry,
which he founded. This latter picks up the strands of Neoconcretism and
Non-Object Poetry and inflects them with Padin's unique brand of socially
conscious aesthetics, which places the act before the object, the human
being before art. Active as a poet, visual poet, editor, organizer of
international exhibitions of experimental poetry, and more recently as
a performance artist and conceptually oriented videomaker, Padin has
made profound contributions to Latin American alternative culture.
Working on this translation has provided me with many challenges. I would
like to acknowledge first and foremost Clemente Padin himself for his
assistance with problematic passages. Also my special thanks to the
expert advice of Juan Antonio and Tomàs Di Bella Martínez of
Mexicali, Baja California, fellow translators on the U.S.-Mexico border
who have repeatedly removed the stings of agony caused by my limited
command over the endless resources of the Spanish tongue. It is my hope
that Art and People will open up to those who don't know Spanish
the vast richness of experimental and alternative culture flourishing
throughout Latin America.
Return to Contents page for Clemente Padin's
Art and People.
Copyright © 1997 by Harry Polkinhorn.
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Light and Dust Poets.
Light and Dust Mobile Anthology of Poetry
in cooperation with Atticus Press.