First published in Sketchbook May/June 30, 2009, Vol 4, No. 3

Fifth in a series of collaborations between Mary Davila and Tracy Koretsky.

We felt it was in the spirit of the competition to challenge the normal relationship between text and image in haiga. Intentionally or not, the image in a haiga is usually privileged (this is because we are human beings who respond visually first.) We wanted to see if we could create a more equal relationship between the elements. How to balance? We discussed several alternatives before deciding on this relentless prose poem which is constructed, essentially, of one renku following another. Although the text occupies a great deal more space than it usually does in a haiga, the lack of a narrative to the poem prevents it from leading or becoming more prominent than the image. Visually it is impossible to make them both elements stand out, but not impossible to make them both take a step back. Mary applied different opacities to the text until we settled on this one, which we felt was legible but also created a tonal blend with the image. All the while we were very much focused on the renku – the space between the two elements. This “between-ness“ is somewhat literally expressed in the choice of the airplane. There is a timeless nowhere-ness to plane travel -- journey-time -- off any particular clock, meals and sleep occurring because of the needs of the airlines, the place you will arrive, the place you came from, different places, often, than the human sitting next to you. On a plane, you are together with others and also alone, as all the while, time marches steadfastly on.

Tracy Koretsky