Richard Van Pelt : Contact

Throughout the history of photography, certain artists have served the medium in a manner that has invoked the poetic. Poetic revelation is the mysterious source of wisdom humanity has long used to help reconcile the awesome experience of life. In early humanity, the spectacle of the world would move human kind to point - to extend an upturned palm, or form sounds in the throat that were attuned to the arising impulse of the heart. The human urge to point is the prearticulate response - inspired in language it is the impulse of poetry. The inspired pointing of the photographer harkens back to the same impulse. The poetic-image is like a light emitting, high resolution rubbing lifted from deep within life, a truly spirited transmission. It presents things close to magic, a trick. It comes as a gift, as confounder, or keys that tumble locks to disillusionment and transformation.

The poetic-image is the authentic artifact. A telling-in-shapes that displays an essential proportion within a fundamental resonance: shape, measure and intonements of value: Forms, shift subtle within us, modulate breath and the beat of the heart, amuse and humor our spirits....

From Our place, photography, and the poetic image

Richard Van Pelt 1992