Aisha Prigan (X) (asker) Jul 12, 2009:

Thank you very much for your comments and helpful discussion! The artworks do complement the haikus, but they do not illustrate them. It is more of a play between the images and the words, a free-style visualisation inspired by the poems. I ended up using "phrasing," because it is a more open and lyrical choice than the other (correct and helpful) suggestions made. Thank you all for your help!

Annett Kottek (X) Jul 12, 2009:

Hi Stephen, I also wonder if the 96 pages contain images, or haikus, or indeed both. Illustrated haikus sounds most likely to me. Which is why I am (still) rather fond of ‘syntax’ for ‘Sprachsetzung’, because the term is not strictly limited to verbal signs and can be applied to verbal and to visual language. In my reading of the passage, the placing of the images does not intrude upon the placing of the words of the haiku; in fact, both ‘fuse’, as you say. The artist appears to want to realize this fusion of verbal and visual composition (‘Verortung eines Gedanken zum Bild’) in this work. And a haiku is both, after all, words and the image they evoke. Anyway, that’s my take on this. Now I'd really love to see the work....

Stephen Reader Jul 11, 2009:

visual context Just as background info - are these illustrations or plates complementary to printed haikus? In which case the gist of the message is "the prints don't obtrude on the lightness of the haikus but fuse into a...' (e.g.: delightful book, etc.)