An Arsonist’s Guide to Conceptual Art
Dominic Symes (University of Adelaide, Australia)
the best thing about this exhibition
is how patiently it waits for a fire to
rip right through it
an effigy is not always
for the purposes of burning
sometimes you want that spectacle
other times you want it gone
a cremation is not artistic
even if the urn is ornamental
the audience has missed the event
arson is not part of the exhibition
but it’s certainly implied
the humility of things
has almost no place
in a gallery
it’s all the same in the end
what fire does
it levels
Dominic Symes (28) is a poet from Adelaide. His poetry has been published in Australian Book Review, Australian Poetry Journal, Award Winning Australian Writing, Mantra (US), Coldnoon (IND), and Broadsheet (NZ). He is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Adelaide. He also curates the monthly poetry reading series NO WAVE. Visit his website.
