Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Instructions to Painters & Poets," Lawrence Ferlinghetti provides a comprehensive and inspirational guide for artists and poets seeking to capture the beauty of life and humanity through their work. The poem is both a manifesto and a celebration of creativity, urging artists to embrace authenticity, light, and shadow in their creations.

Ferlinghetti begins by seeking insight from other artists: "I asked a hundred painters and a hundred poets / how to paint sunlight / on the face of life." Their responses are "ambiguous and ingenuous," suggesting that they guard their artistic secrets. In contrast, Ferlinghetti proposes a holistic approach to art, where one must "conceive of the whole world / and all humanity / as a kind of art work." By envisioning the world as an "art project of the god of light," he encourages artists to see the earth "painted with light."

The first instruction he gives is to "paint out postmodern painting," rejecting the artificial and contrived in favor of authenticity. He advises artists to "paint yourself / in your true colors / in primary colors / as you see them," without "whitewash" or "make-up." This call for self-representation in "true colors" underscores the importance of honesty and vulnerability in art.

Ferlinghetti's next instruction is to "paint your favorite people and animals / with your brush loaded with light." He emphasizes the importance of perspective, noting that "one false line leads to another," and encourages artists to paint landscapes, such as the "high hills / when the sun first strikes them / on an autumn morning." He uses vivid imagery to describe autumn leaves in "cadmium yellow," "ochre," and "vermillion," and stresses the need for contrast between light and shadow.

"Don't paint out the shadows made by light," Ferlinghetti warns, advocating for chiaroscuro, the interplay of light and dark, to create depth. He urges artists to "paint all the dark corners too," including "all the hidden places and minds and hearts / which light never reaches." The metaphorical "caves of ignorance and fear" and "pits of despair" must also be illuminated with light, and marked with "Abandon all despair, ye who enter here."

Ferlinghetti insists on painting those "who lived their lives / as bearers of light," encouraging artists to "paint their eyes," the "light of sunlit laughter," and the "song of eyes." He includes both the superficial beauty of "beautiful women / known best for the perfection of their breasts" and the inner beauty of "men and women / known only for the light of their minds."

In his advice to use "pure white" to start with, Ferlinghetti describes various types of white pigments, like "gesso," "cadmium white," and "flake white." He recalls how painters like Turner used egg tempera (which was "unstable"), Van Gogh used "madness / and the blood of his ear," the Impressionists avoided black, and the Abstract Expressionists used "white house paint." Despite their different approaches, Ferlinghetti encourages artists to "do it with the pure pigment / (if you can figure out the formula) / of your own true light."

The poet reminds artists of the "fragility / life's extreme fragility" and innocence of a "pure virgin canvas" before striking the first blow. He proposes that artists "perhaps never strike it / And let the light come through," allowing the "inner light of the canvas" and the "inner light of the models posed / in the life study" to shine through like a "pentimento." This Italian word refers to traces of earlier paintings that become visible through layers of paint, symbolizing the "painted-over image / of primal life on earth."

Ferlinghetti concludes with a triumphant vision of artistic creation: "when you've finished your painting / stand back astonished / stand back and observe / the life on earth that you've created." This "lighted life on earth" represents the culmination of the artistic journey, resulting in "a new brave world."

"Instructions to Painters & Poets" is an empowering poem that celebrates artistic creativity and authenticity. Ferlinghetti's encouragement to embrace light, shadow, and truth in one's work reflects his belief in the transformative power of art to illuminate and inspire. Through this manifesto, he offers artists a path to create their own "new brave world."

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