Escape Into Life: Issue No. 28

Michael Massaia

A. Aubrey Bodine: Photoshop Forerunner . . . For those who think that digital manipulation has ruined the old-fashioned  art of photography, Fred Shively’s essay on A. Aubrey Bodine provides a reminder that people have always altered images for effect. From the 20’s to the 60’s, Bodine’s work recorded life on the Chesapeake Bay, and he did not hesitate to employ some magic in and out of the darkroom to capture his version of photographic pictorialism.

The Two Worlds of Henry Darger . . . were recorded in thousands of illustrations that both reflect and transcend his difficult and isolated existence. EIL contributor Mark Kerstetter, examines the life work of Darger in a moving essay, which traces the mysterious threads that tie together Darger’s turn-of-the-century visions of children, suffering, purity, and despair.

The poetry of Martha Silano . . . juxtaposes the ordinary and extraordinary in cadences of mysterious razzle-dazzle. In colorful imagery where innocence spins against untold longings, Silvano plays with our expectations and stretches our realities through deceptively simple words and images.

Music Review: Keb’Mo’ . . . An artist who has been around since 1993, Keb’Mo’ is a singer-songwriter specializing in the blues, and he originates from  from south-central L.A. — that’s Los Angeles, not Louisiana. Incorporating the classic themes of the genre with a very personal passion, fire, and sweetness, his most recent album, Suitcase, gives the listener much to choose from.

Thirty-Five, short fiction by G. P. Ching . . . Short and sweet, Ching’s prose sings us a metronome of a story, with timely touches of humor and a great deal of compassion.

Stacy Ericson is an editor and photographer who has been writing poetry since she was a child. Her work often reflects her interest in other cultures, ancient languages and religion, and visceral passions. She says, “To me poetry is a very serious undertaking involving studying poets that have gone before, the changing styles and goals of different time periods, specific imagery, unexpected juxtapositions, and a consciousness of meter and trope. I don’t like to spell things out, but to leave room for the reader’s imagination to participate in the verse. I also make a real effort to structure line breaks so different meanings are revealed depending on the way the lines are read and joined by the reader.”