Untouchable - Woman On Keys

Singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, painter Mark Kostabi, and spoken-word/ video artist Paul Mills aka Poez collaborate. "Untouchable: Woman on Keyst" is part of a series of video collaborations between Paul L. Mills aka Poez ("A spoken-word pioneer" - The New York Times") and internationally-acclaimed painter/composer Mark Kostabi. One of world-famous painter Mark Kostabi's most powerful and evocative dreamlike images - that of a faceless young woman, posed naked on the keys of a Steinway grand piano - is given voice by two-time Grammy-winner Suzanne Vega in this 5-minute video. Text, music and additional vocals are by Paul L. Mills aka Poez.

"Untouchable: Woman on Keys." From Artsider Studios, New York City, September 2009.

www.markkostabi.com
www.suzannevega.com
www.poezthepoet.com

All rights reserved (2009).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mark Kostabi
• Suzanne Vega
• Poez
• painting
• spoken word

[KaraokeJerry]

Thanks for posting this collaboration. It will probably be awhile before I figure out all the poem (if ever) -- it seems charged with highly personal meanings, but the general mood was easy enough to discern and fits the image well.

[poezthepoet]

@KaraokeJerry - Just wrote it to fit the image. Thought of what the girl might have to say - who she was etc. No personal meaning for me beyond that. I really liked the painting. Never tried writing a poem to a painting before that I can think of. Very interesting experience. I suppose it's impossible to write something like that without personal experience having an effect of course. I mean it wasn't consciously trying to say anything personal.

[rocketblu]

WOW again MArk! Bravo indeed! provocative, poetic and I remember this painting from long ago and this poem and the music gives dimensional life to this painting where before I saw none - when we were hanging out I was trying to understand you and your work. This helps a lot. Thank you!

[rocketblu]

WOW again MArk! Bravo indeed! provacetive, poetic and I remember this painting from long ago and this poem and the music gives dimensional life to this painting where before I saw none - when we were hanging out I was trying to understand you and your work. This helps a lot. Thank you!

[TheEdMay]

Deeply thought-provoking, and evocative. A spiritual journey into dream? imagination? The life inherent in music? Relationships? All of these, and more, perhaps.

Thank you , Paul

[KaraokeJerry]

@poezthepoet There's one passage that really grabbed my interest and puzzled me in particular.

"... Torn off my wings settled under the sea". She tears off her wings because she no longer needs them being free? Or perhaps she's made a sacrifice?

"Settled under the Sea" as in intentionally obscuring herself under a sea of humanity" so she can be alone as she desires? Or perhaps, settling into the internal intuitive dream world where the the subconscious mind lives? Thanks

[artistabella62]

A variation of my favorite painting of yours. I can't help but relate to this piece. Nice job! How poetic....just beautiful. Bravo.

[theothermasque]

cool

[blackflek]

Really nice

[faithschwa]

Beautiful! Beautiful painting, voices poetry rythmn, camera, everything!