First and Second Generation New York School poetry is so frequently lined with or bound by Joe Brainard’s artwork that its material seems inextricable from the cherries, jacks, and starts so commonly occupying the real and influential side-lines of their poems. In this way, Brainard’s work occupies the literal margins of New York School Poetry, while also figuratively influencing the aesthetic ones. Brainard was not only an illustrator and friend to many New York School poets, he was also an avid letter writer, collage artist, miniature artist, cartoonist, and serious poet. His art, friendship and poetry provide a point from which to reconsider The New York School’s often chronicled relationship to The New York School of Painting While others have attended to general role of art in New York School poetry, this book looks to provoke a more focused line of enquiry regarding the relationship of Brainard’s art and poetry to that of his New York School peers.

This edited collection seeks papers that will examine the ways in which Brainard’s work informingly lined, bound, and shaped the poetics of the American avant-garde movements which he illustrated. While papers focusing on Brainard’s collages, cartoons, postcards and miniature art will be considered, this collection seeks to shift critical attention to Brainard’s influence on poetry. To that end, papers examining Brainard’s own writing, collaborations, verbal art, and book illustrations are especially welcome.
Marjorie Perloff has generously agreed to provide an afterword which will respond to papers within book.

If interested in having your article considered for publication within this collection, please submit brief 300-500 word proposals along with bio to yshamma@fau.edu by August 15.