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Ian Hamilton Finlay

Ian Hamilton Finlay Books

Poet

Ian Hamilton Finlay was a Scottish poet, artist, and landscape designer. His work is known for its unique visual and linguistic style, blending poetry, philosophy, and landscape art. Finlay's poetry often explores political, historical, and natural themes, and his landscape design works embody his philosophical ideas.

Ian Hamilton Finlay: Selections

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“I came to these mediums through having the garden, and of course, people who have designed gardens have always worked in collaboration, and never made their own inscriptions.”

People Made Courses Garden Mediums Collaboration Inscriptions

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“My position is that since the non-secular status of my garden is not recognised by the law; by the world of the public, then the garden can only be private. So, I closed the garden to the public.”

World Law Position Garden Secular

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“Little Sparta is a garden in the traditional sense. It is perhaps not like other modern gardens, but I think that other times would have had no difficulty with it.”

Thinking Littles Modern Garden Difficulty Traditional Sparta

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“I am always a beginner. I only try to include different parts of life; the pastoral, the tragic, et cetera.”

Trying Different Past Tragic Parts Of Life Beginners

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“Certain gardens are described as retreats when they are really attacks.”

Certain Garden Retreat

Book:Ian Hamilton Finlay: Selections

Source: Ian Hamilton Finlay: Selections

“The present order is the disorder of the future.”

Book:Ian Hamilton Finlay: Selections

Source: Ian Hamilton Finlay: Selections

“People have always found me challenging - I don't know why, when I am only being myself. I don't understand why they find me so annoying but they do. It is pity, but that is how it is.”

People Knows Found Challenges Pity Annoying Find Me Being Myself

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“I am not a modern man, I am just a wee old fashioned one.”

Men Modern Marijuana Old Fashioned Modern Man

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“But you have to understand that I consider myself a very modest artist, or whatever, and not of importance really at all - it is quite embarrassing to me to be asked my opinion about things. I am only a wee Scottish poet on the outside of everything.”

Artist Opinion Poet Importance Marijuana Modest Embarrassing Scottish

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“As a friendly one. I would still like to write concrete poems, but I can only do it sometimes.”

Writing Stills I Can Sometimes Friendly Concrete

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“For me concrete poetry was a particular way of using language which came out of a particular feeling, and I don't have control over whether this feeling is in me or not.”

Way Feelings Language Particular Concrete

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“But I can only write what the muse allows me to write. I cannot choose, I can only do what I am given, and I feel pleased when I feel close to concrete poetry - still.”

Feels Writing Stills I Can Given Concrete Muse

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“But at the beginning it was clear to me that concrete poetry was peculiarly suited for using in public settings. This was my idea, but of course I never really much got the chance to do it.”

Ideas Courses Chance Clear Setting Settings Concrete

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“No, I don't make my work in order to challenge or confuse other people's expectations - I only do what I find natural.”

People Order Natural Challenges Expectations

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“If the work is pure then you have to think it could be understood. If it is not understood it doesn't mean that your work is not accessible. It doesn't worry me, but, of course, I would be pleased if people liked my work.”

People Ifs Thinking Mean Would Be Courses Worry Pure Understood

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“However, I don't feel the world is looking over my shoulder when I am working - I never think about this at all. What I think about is trying to make my work pure, and if it is pure then it can be accessible. It is quite straight forward really.”

Ifs Thinking World Feels Trying Pure Shoulders

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

“What you compose with is neither here nor there, you compose with words, or you compose with stone plants and trees, or you compose with events; the Sheriff's officer, or whatever.”

Tree Events Stones Plant Officers Sheriffs Plants And Trees

Author:Ian Hamilton Finlay

About the Author

Born: October 28, 1925
Died: March 27, 2006
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 17

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