Poems

"Since the early ‘60s, no artist has explored the boundaries of the idea that ‘Art imitates life’ more fully than Yvonne Rainer.” —Artforum


"Here a simple, steady cadence provides procedural measure for simple, pared-down words, [plain] yet elegant turns that move the eyes forward, across, and down the page.” —Tim Griffin,“Keep moving: the poems of  Yvonne Rainer”


Poems is a collection of never before published poetry by choreographer and filmmaker Yvonne Rainer. Full of wit and candor, Poems offers a window into the life and mind of one of America’s greatest living artists. A selection of images curated by Rainer accompanies the writing as well as an introduction by poet and critic Tim Griffin. 


This enhanced e-book includes audio of Rainer reading five of the poems, an interview conducted by artist Paul Chan with Rainer about her process as an artist and poet, and a video excerpt of "Trio A" (1966), the legendary dance piece choreographed and performed by Rainer.


About the Author

Yvonne Rainer was born in San Francisco in 1934. She trained as a modern dancer in New York and was one of the founders of the Judson Dance Theater in l962, a movement that proved to be a vital force in modern dance and art in the following decades. Since 1972, Rainer has completed seven feature-length films. She has received numerous awards and fellowships for her work, including two Guggenheim Fellowships (1969, 1988), a MacArthur Fellowship (1990-95), and a Wexner Prize (1995). A memoir, Feelings are Facts: a Life, was published in 2006.