One night we climb a ladder
surprise the roof
as moonlight laps the walls
and rises over waves of tin
we simply wade into the sky
leave sleepers and their dreaming
pooled in sleep below
to steer our prow of tin
through the whirlpools of light
that voyage around our heads
Silkcut finalist Lisa Pullen’s visual imagery is based on a keen sense of mythology, story-telling and personal history. The Night Ladder works are based on five dark poems from Perrault: Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Clattermouth and Bluebeard, with an additional poem The Night Ladder written by Angela Gardner. Lisa’s stark and menacing ink and pencil drawings, translated into lino prints, build these characters up quirkily, with their palpable and thought-provoking sense of contemporary quandary. Dramatically printed in her trademark red and black. Assisted by a Visual Arts & Crafts Strategy grant from Arts Queensland.
Deluxe Book/Book, 32pp + double-page foldout, bound, hard cover linoprint inset into black leather with title in red stamped lettering; images two colour linoprint, text letterpress, and rubber stamps, on paper Magnani Velata Avorio 140gsm (200gsm 16 x single sheets in books); archival quality, limited edition of 10 (plus 15 loose leaf linen cover), signed by both artist and author. Closed head to tail 420mm, spine to foredge 300mm, Deluxe Books open 420mm x 600mm; Binding by Fred Pohlmann of F & R Master Bookbinders Pty Ltd; Sale price Deluxe Book AUD1250/GBP 550, Linen covered Book AUD900/GBP 400 overseas p&p by special delivery.
Artist: Lisa Pullen
Author: Angela Gardner
The Night Ladder
ISBN: 978-0-9804863-2-2
publication June 2009 from light-trap press, PO Box 6418 St Lucia, QLD
4067, Australia.
Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy funding for the
project gratefully received from Arts Queensland