Carlyle Reedy
b. 1938, Virginia, USA
Reedy is an artist and poet based in London, whose work includes collage-painting, live performance and text-based pieces. Born in Virginia, USA, in 1938, she became a leading figure in the countercultural scene in the UK in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Today, she works mostly with collage-painting and poetry, and her art historical importance – overlooked for decades – is now becoming appreciated by various scholars.
For further information about this work, please phone:
+44 (0) 208 693 3871
+44 (0) 7946 856835
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A collection of seven documents with an additional envelope and annotated flyer for Etruscan Books, c. 2004-2011
This collection of documents was sent by Carlyle Reedy to the poet Lee Harwood. Includes a handwritten letter (85 x 209mm folded, 294 x 209mm unfolded) to Harwood is hand-cut along the top edge and accompanied by an illustrated envelope (110 x 209mm) with postage dated 10 January 2011. In this piece of correspondence, Reedy includes an anecdote about her little granddaughter who ‘eats paper’ – ‘to be female and to enjoy munching my papers’.
A collage (signed with initials) comprises two cut-out pieces of typed text and two embossed pieces of paper sellotaped to an envelope. 60 x 161mm. ‘A Bit of Tat’ is written in black ink on the back of the envelope. ‘The Abbey’ is written in black ink on the front of the envelope, hidden under one of the embossed pieces of paper. The two cut-out pieces of typed text read ‘one goes straight to heaven or hell, depending upon the contents of mind, and whether or not one can or cannot see illusion as illusion’ ‘heavens and hells must be due to delusion’ (the word ‘straight’ is obscured but still visible and the ‘up’ in ‘upon’ is crossed out).
A drawing (black and green ink on white stock) by Reedy, with a handwritten note by Reedy on verso: ‘Music Building up in the Middle!’ 102 x 142mm.
A black and white photograph of Reedy on a small horse as a young girl, with a handwritten note from Reedy to Harwood on verso – ‘Because you know me in my heart, here is what I am, and in Royal Attire’. 126 x 81mm.
A folded invitation to a private view for Reedy’s exhibition ‘Wealth’ at The Masbro Centre in 2004, with a handwritten note from Reedy to Harwood inside. 105 x 148mm folded, 208 x 148mm unfolded.
A postcard of North Carolina Lighthouses, with handwritten note by Reedy on verso: ‘For 2011 let’s tune up the lamps both sides of the sea / or all sides of all seas for 2011 Shine’ 105 x 158mm.
Obituaries and Celebrations, words worth books, London, 1995.
216 x 124mm. 86pp. Printed maroon on thick off-white stock, bound in burgundy cloth covers with silver lettering. Signed and numbered by the poet in black ink. Edition 121 of 300. Book of poetry complete with 95 x 50mm collage-painting by the poet, tucked beneath a translucent page.