The Pen and Ink Drawings of Sylvia Plath
November 11, 2011 - By Philip Kennedy - Category: Art
I first read the poetry of Sylvia Plath back when I was at school. At that time, she was one of eight poets who appeared on the English syllabus and she was also one of the most interesting. Although Plath never showed up on my exam paper, her poetry seems to have stayed with me the longest. I think the reason for this is that I’m guilty of romanticizing her work. Like many, I can’t help but wrap her tragic life story around the poems which she wrote, and this inescapable relationship has lingered with me over time.
Currently a collection of her sketches are on display for the first time ever at London’s Mayor Gallery. I wasn’t aware that Plath ever drew and so it’s exciting to see these works. Plath really had quite a talent as an artist, and she often said that her deepest source of inspiration was art. The drawings on display at the exhibition come from a time during her travels through Europe while she studied at Cambridge. They’re a beautiful collection of images and a wonderful insight into the world of a great poet.
Philip
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I too seem to over romanticize her work. I was half expecting an oven to be included in this rather charming collection.
We see a different side of Sylvia Plath in these drawings, which are amazingly well done. Here we see a stillness, a suggestion of a person at peace.
These are wild. So bold. Interesting that these are so fleshed out while her poems tend to be skeletal. Same intensity though. Thanks for these!