Artifice

'These are stunning poems drawn out of a richness in language that melds with notions of craftwork and the microcosm. Singer invites us to discard what is known of the world, and to rebuild it through traversing spaces of beauty and art.' - Denise Saul

Artifice, the debut poetry collection by Lavinia Singer, is an exploration of the art of making. Its poems celebrate the artistry of craftsmanship: how works relate to beauty, and how they might inspire or ensnare.

Artifice is an exploration of the art of making. Its poems celebrate the artistry of craftsmanship: how works relate to beauty, and how they might inspire or ensnare. They consider issues of artificiality and authenticity, ‘the man-made’ and ‘the natural’. They warn of artfulness, in the sense of cunning or deception. And they wonder at the mystery of art and language, that which resolutely remains unknown or ineffable.

For Artifice is as much riddle as revelation, stirring delight and discomfort as it delves into the nature of aesthetics and the creative process. How are works made and how do they make us, in turn? What worlds can be built from words? This book dwells in possibility, presenting an ambiguous space for contemplation, connection and, ideally, hope – for ‘to marvel is the beginning of knowledge’ (E. H. Gombrich).