Denis O’Connor
Lucken’s Alphabet

Lucken’s Alphabet explores the affinities of language and text to an image. The exhibition takes this theme from Denis O’Connor’s collaborations, translations and encounters with poets for over forty years. 
 
Each letter of the English alphabet prefaces a word that is engraved and matched with an image on the slate’s front.  On the reverse side is the line or stanza of verse that enhances, haunts and teases both the enigma of the image, and the duplicity of the word.
 
The provenances of the slates are the roofs of heritage status architecture in Tāmaki Makaurau. The poets range across broad territories and diverse sensibilities. Song lyrics make a guest appearance, as do found objects.