[Milton-L] Kirmss Sculpture

[Salwa Khoddam]

Dear Milton Scholars,
With all due respect to Mr. and Mrs. Kirmss, I would like to ask this question : What would be the point of creating a work of art (like the Kirmss scuplture) that few can understand without a one-page explanation?  The meaning of the text should be in the text, here a non verbal one.  Of course, one's ability to interpret a text is increased with more familiarity with the text's cultural context.  Many responders did not get some of the iconic symbols in the sculpture, like the Tibetan gesture,  because their Western culture does not interpret it as a greeting, but more like disgust as one responder mentioned.  I personally saw the sculpture in the tradition of the grotesque faces on top of some colleges in Oxford.  So it didn't work for me because I don't see Milton as a "grotesque" figure, although I appreciate his non-conformity.  He's no Socrates to delight in uncovering  paradoxes without giving answers.  But then in my interpretation of the sculpture, I was relying on the culture of Milton that I know.  All representations of specific historical events or figures must somehow be rooted in the particular cultural context of these events and figures.  To what extent, that's debatable.
"Milton certainly matters."  Thanks for your earlier generous and inspiring remarks about this issue.  Every now and then I feel the need to get support from colleagues like you, since I'm the only person teaching the classics and early British literature in my department.  And I have to do battle with the "noxious" culture surrounding us.  (That's a "Socratesian" statement.)
Best,
Salwa Khoddam
Professor of English
Oklahoma City University
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Horace Jeffery Hodges 
  To: John Milton Discussion List 
  Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2008 3:10 PM
  Subject: Re: [Milton-L] Kirmss Sculpture


        In defense of the Tibetan allusion in the Milton sculpture by Arthur Kirmss, Stan Parchin wrote:


        "You know, Arthur's Tibetan articulation of Milton's tongue is PURE ARTHUR. I didn't know that, too. Isn't that the whole point? To teach the viewer something s/he didn't know?"


        Jim Rovira replied:


        "I'm not sure that visual symbols work that way. It seems to me that icons only work as a visual language capable of teaching if the viewers share enough context to immediately understand the symbols."


        Jim, you're correct that most of us probably missed the Tibetan allusion. I missed it -- and instead found myself reminded of that iconic photo of Einstein sticking his tongue out:


        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein_in_popular_culture


        I wonder if Kirmss had this in mind as well. Also occurring to me was an image of a Maori warrior sticking his tongue out:


        http://photographersdirect.com/buyers/stockphoto.asp?imageid=878924


        Was Kirmss also thinking of this sort of thing? Be that as it may, I find myself again agreeing with Feisal:


        "It seems odd that readers of Milton would object to an obscure allusion, and to its reference to a non-Western culture. Among its many ambitions, Paradise Lost aspires to be the first epic that is truly global in scope."


        We can't really fault an artist for being obscure, especially since those of us who love and study Milton's writings also probably enjoy the layers of meaning, many of these obscure until we shine a light upon them.

        For instance, I was unaware of the possibility that Milton's 'apple' was really a peach until Robert Appelbaum drew my attention to it last summer on this very list. If Robert is right, then Milton's allusion in PL 9.851 to a fruit that "downie smil'd" was truly obscure for about 300 years . . . until Robert noticed it.

        So let's not peach artists for being obscure.

        Jeffery Hodges 



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