Bluets dances with a multitude of threads. Threads that fray. Threads that loop. Threads that splice. Threads that twist.
One thread is a form of love story which is also a sex story which is also a blue story which is also an identity story which is also a grief story which is also a loss story.
Maggie Nelson’s Bluets is structured as 240 numbers prose-poem-aphoristic-sentence-paragraphs.
The numbers are linear. The threads are non-linear.
I see within Nelson’s Bluets a kaleidoscope of threaded images. Micro-vignettes. Fractured tableaus.
I say I see
as this is the readers’ share, the audiences’ share, the viewers’ share of the work.
In Katie Mitchell’s Bluets I see these vignettes created into physical on stage tableaus. Images projected on screen. Images made by the performers. Vignettes shapes by the stage hands. The stage hand who cast shadow and light and absence, who cast negative space and liminal space and forgotten space.
In Margaret Perry’s Bluets I hear the breaks the caesuras the cuts for the performers.
All of these Bluets orbit the feminist.
In Katie Mitchell’s and Margaret Perry’s Bluets I see no numbers. In that Bluets, the one I saw and experience in that time and space, time move forward - more or less linear - although with skips and jumps and pauses.
Perhaps forward numbers are unneeded if time parses forwards.
Yet this Bluets drifted in and out of kairos time. Where time flows and stops, not experienced in a line.
In Nelson’s Bluets some words are intensely blue. More blue than the images in performance. Yet some images in the performance Bluets transcend the text or at least derive from a world at least as deep and expressive as the words.
On occasion the performers are lost in their image. Eyes zoned on their making on the camera on the screen and rarely the audience watcher.
The lost moments past quickly. I see them as from a liminal between space. Perhaps one could seem them as the space between.
At the level of the idea these concepts swirl around me
Sex and love
Identity
Disability
Grief
Blue
You will find more or less, and different for sure.
In Nelson’s Bluets:
Numbered Fragments: Each fragment is sequentially numbered from 1 to 240. This numbering provides a sense of progression, even though the content within the fragments often jumps between different times, places, and ideas.
Prose Poetry: The fragments blend elements of prose and poetry, featuring lyrical language, vivid imagery, and poetic rhythm. This form is in itself unique. The structure allows Nelson to weave together personal memoir, philosophical musings, and cultural analysis
Non-linear Narrative: The fragments do not follow a traditional narrative arc. The fragments are associative and often jump between different subjects and moments in time. This mirrors the way memories and emotions can be experienced in a non-linear fashion.
Intertextuality: The fragments frequently reference other works of art, literature, philosophy, and personal anecdotes. These references create a rich intertextual tapestry, adding depth and resonance to the themes.
From the view of grief:
Personal Loss: The color blue is a central metaphor. There is a riff on feelings of sorrow and longing following the end of a romantic relationship. The fragments capture the rawness of heartbreak and the enduring pain that accompanies the loss of a loved one.
Philosophical Inquiry: Te work it not only a riff on personal grief but also interrogates the nature of grief itself. How grief shapes our understanding of the world, our relationships, and our sense of self. She examines how grief can be both a deeply personal experience and a universal human condition.
Sensory and Emotional Connections: Grief connects to sensory experiences and emotional responses.
The work attempts the paradox to articulate the inexpressible aspects of grief.
Fragmented Narrative: The fragmented structure mirrors the disjointed and often chaotic nature of grief. (Of love, of disability, of identity). The non-linear format jumps between memories, reflections, and observations. Grief can jump and spiral like this. As can love.
Healing and Continuity: The work is steeped in grief. Yet I see it also touches on the process of healing. Grief does not have a neat resolution. Grief can be a part of one's ongoing life. The act of writing and reflecting becomes a way to live with and through grief.
On feminism and identity
Personal Autonomy and Female Voice: The power of the female voice.
Exploration of Female Desire: The complexities of female desire, addressing themes of love, longing, and sexuality from a distinctly female perspective.
Interrogation of Gender Norms: Nelson subtly critiques societal expectations and norms surrounding gender and relationships. The audience is caught on the phrase of a passive top and an active bottom.
On Disability:
Personal Connection to Disability: There is a portrayal of a friend's (?) paralysis. This relationship provides a lens through which she explores the physical and emotional impacts of disability on both the individual experiencing it and their loved ones.
A riff on the daily realities and emotional complexities faced by disability .
Interconnectedness of Grief and Disability: The onset of disability can lead to profound personal and relational grief, as both the individual and their loved ones mourn the loss of prior abilities and navigate new realities.
Philosophical Reflections on the Body: Philosophical musings on the nature of the body, its vulnerabilities, and its resilience. How disability can alter one's perception of their own body and its capabilities, prompting broader questions about identity and self-acceptance.
Visibility and Invisibility: The fragments touch on the themes of visibility and invisibility related to disability.
Interdependency and Care: How relationships are reshaped by disability. A friend and caregiver, highlights the mutual dependence and emotional labor involved in such dynamics.
On Blue:
Emotional Resonance: Blue serves as a symbol for various emotional states, particularly those associated with melancholy, longing, and grief…. a vessel for expressing sorrow, heartache, and a sense of loss.
Sensory and Aesthetic Appreciation: The beauty of blue in nature, art, and everyday objects, - its ability to evoke profound emotional responses. The visual and tactile allure- connections between the color and moments of aesthetic pleasure.
Philosophical Inquiry: Blue is a subject of philosophical inquiry. The nature of color itself, its impact on perception, and its role in shaping human experience. How blue can represent both presence and absence, depth and distance.
Interconnectedness with Memory: Do I see that blue is connected with memory here? blue evokes and anchors recollections - those related to love and loss. Blue becomes a conduit for accessing and articulating past experiences.
Symbol of Desire and Longing: Blue symbolizes desire and longing - a sense of yearning, whether for a lost lover, a past moment, or an unattainable ideal. The color captures the essence of unfulfilled desires and the bittersweet nature of longing.
Cultural and Historical Contexts: the work situates the exploration of blue within broader cultural and historical contexts. Referencing various works of art, literature, and philosophy that engage with the color blue, from artists like Yves Klein to poets like Wallace Stevens.
I note in blue there is very little (or arguably no) black.
Is Bluets the performance or the poem - good or bad ? I can not answer that.
Should you see or read the work ?
I think if these ideas - grief - love - sex - identity - poetic form - language form - colour - culture - philosophy - queer - non-queer - engage you or you want to be engaged by them then this is a work to be engaged with by deep thinking artist creators at the height of their powers.
