ANGELIC FLIGHTS: Gabriel Rosenstock introduces a project with photographic artist Kon Markogiannis.

Angelic Flights Project

by Gabriel Rosenstock

As soon as I saw the work of Greek photographic artist Kon Markiogannis, I knew I wanted to respond to his captivating images with bilingual haiku, in Irish and English.

To honour his native country, I needed versions in Greek and these were graciously supplied by Sarah Thilykou. I had met Sarah a number of years ago at a book fair in her native city of Thessaloniki.

To honour the cradle of haiku, I needed versions in Japanese and Maki Starfield kindly obliged: she informs me that her versions are in the Tōhoku dialect.

A title was needed for the project – which we imagined as a book and/or installation. Flights of Angels came to mind.

We needed to test the waters and where better to send work in progress than to The Culturium. If Paula Marvelly of The Culturium likes this project, then Angelic Flights is on the right track!

Of course, angels move in mysterious ways so who knows what may befall this project in the end.

https://www.theculturium.com/?s=kon+markogiannis

Since that preview in The Culturium,  our work has progressed further and we are now ready to share Angelic Flights with the wider world. Here then, is a taster from the project.

Note: the images chosen here may not necessarily  match the haiku in the final book (or installation), something which gives a fluidity to Angelic Flights:

http://www.konmark.com/_photo_16153413.html

talking away

to his own shadow . . .

a Jew in Thessaloniki

 

comhrá aige

lena scáil féin  . . .

Giúdach in Thessaloniki

 

μιλώντας συνέχεια

με τη σκιά του . . .

Εβραίος στη Σαλονίκη

 

自分の影ど

しゃべってばりいる

テッサロニキのユダヤ人

Kon Markogiannis views his work as ‘a weapon against the ephemeral’. Many art photographers gravitate towards haiku. They see how Grandmasters of haiku have captured ephemera for all time. It’s no coincidence that the latest journal of haiku, edited by Shrikaanth Krishnamurthy, is called Ephemerae.

http://www.konmark.com/_photo_15374162.html

tabhair aingeal dom, a Dhé

aon saghas aingil –

déanfaidh leath-aingeal cúis

 

God, give me an angel

any old angel –

half an angel will do

 

Θεέ, δώσε μου άγγελο

και γέρο άγγελο –

και μισό άγγελο

 

神様や、天使ばけでけろ

どった年寄りの天使でも

半人前の天使でもいいはんで

http://www.konmark.com/_photo_16203940.html

lá nua é

camhaoir nua  . . .

amhrán ar an raidió

 

it’s a new day

it’s a new dawn  . . .

song on the radio

 

μια νέα μέρα

μια νέα αυγή . . .

τραγούδι ραδιοφώνου

 

新しい（あだらしい）日っこ

新しい夜明げっこ

ラジオの歌っこ

http://www.konmark.com/_photo_14851794.html

faic anseo . . .

na haingil go léir

bailithe leo

 

nothing here  . . .

all the angels

have cleared out

 

τίποτε εδώ . . .

όλοι οι άγγελοι

έχουν απομακρυνθεί

 

こさはなんもねぇ・・・

天使んどはみんな

いねぐなった」

http://www.konmark.com/_photo_15374341.html

abair liom

cá raghaidís –

aingil gan sciatháin

 

tell me

where can they go –

wingless angels

 

εξήγησέ μου

πού να μπορούν να πάνε –

άπτεροι άγγελοι

 

しゃべってけろ

あいんどはどごさ行ぐにいいんだが

翼っこのねぇ天使んど

http://www.konmark.com/_photo_16092010.html

bhí aingeal coimhdeachta acusan leis . . .

ár sinsir

i bpluaiseanna

 

they too had guardian angels . . .

our ancestors

in caves

 

φύλακα άγγελο είχαν . . .

και οι πρόγονοί μας

μες στα σπήλαια

 

あいんどさも守護天使んどがいだ

洞窟さいる

御先祖様

http://www.konmark.com/_photo_12705844.html

miongháire na marbh

is iad ag iarraidh smaoineamh . . .

cé sinne?

 

the smiling dead  . . .

trying to remember

who we are

 

χαμογελαστοί νεκροί . . .

ενθυμούμενοι

ποιοι να είμαστε

 

にぐらっとしている死者んど

思いだすきがってる

わんどが誰だんだが

http://www.konmark.com/_photo_16092023.html

aingil bhréige  . . .

bhuel, is dócha

is fearr leath ná meath

 

artificial angels . . .

well, I guess

any old port ina storm

 

τεχνητοί άγγελοι . . .

λοιπόν, νομίζω

λιμάνι σε θύελλα

 

作らいだ天使んど

んっと、

窮余の策だべな

Gabriel Rosenstock’s latest haiku volume is Stillness of Crows. His philosophy of haiku can be found on this YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmj54hpqMyo&t=100s

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