Town of Mirrors: The Reassembled Imagery of Robert Pollard

by Robert Pollard

Robert Pollard is the Dayton, Ohio singer-songwriter, who was the leader and creative force behind the legendary indie rock group Guided by Voices, one of the most influential bands of its generation ( SPIN magazine recently named Pollard one of "The Top 50 Rock & Roll Front Men of All-Time"). After the dissolution of Guided by Voices in 2004, Robert Pollard launched his official solo career with the release of From a Compound Eye in 2006. In addition to being a prolific songwriter/recording artist, Pollard is a gifted and prolific visual artist, working mostly in the medium of collage (not surprising, given his interest in sound collage as a recording artist). His work has been exhibited at Michael Imperioli's Studio Dante in New York and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH. He has created the covers to almost every Guided By Voices record and countless other Pollard-related releases. Town of Mirrors collects the very best of Pollard's visual art and lyrics/poetry. Featuring over 175 of Pollard's favorite collages, hand-picked by the artist, as well as over a dozen new collages produced exclusively for this collection, Town of Mirrors is the first comprehensive collection of Pollard's visual art ever released. Pollard's collages are the visual equivalent of his poetic and imagistic lyrics, surreal and reminiscent of the collages of artists ranging from Jack Kirby to Winston Smith.

Genres: Art, Music, Poetry, Visual Art

136 pages, Hardcover

First published July 28, 2008

Reviews

[Eddie Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like Mr. Pollard's wonderful songs, these collages can seem slapdash and shambolic (and in some deep existential way probably actually are), but beneath the bizarre lyricism of word/image and the DIY pop and hiss and raggedy edges they can be perfectly composed and balanced and even restrained, though always raw. And like his songs these collages are earthy and romantic and full of longing, and are a gentlemanly (or not so) fuck you to imposed control mechanisms and smugness, yet logical, even when cryptic.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty fun collection of collages by the Guided By Voices leader. All the fuzz and rough edges of his music carries over into his art, though I would have liked a bit of that ol' killer Pollard hook as well. His simplest work is the best. There's also some song lyrics scattered around which add a bit of ambiance, though I sort of glossed over some of that stuff. I should point out that Rick Moody's introduction is smart-pants good stuff.

[Kitap Yakıcı · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, I wasn't too impressed with the collages in this collection. In addition, because I am not a fan of Guided by Voices (I don't dislike them, I just don't know them at all) any resonances in that direction (e.g., covers of great albums) are lost on me. Pollard's collages are much more spartan than my own collages, which initially led me to dismiss many of them as simplistic and, frankly, boring. I put the book down for more than a month (without "deactivating" it and returning it to the "to read"), practiced more of my own collage making, and then returned with fresh eyes. While I won't say that Pollard's work suddenly seemed genius, it certainly was much more complex, in terms of visual and thematic coherence. I am inspired by some of the images in here, which I believe was the intention and hope of the person who gave this book to me as a Christmas gift.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is kind of cheating. I've been reading Robert Pollard's authorized biography and I've had this on my to read list for awhile. I like to think of Town of Mirrors as a coincidental accompaniment to the biography. It's a collection of Pollard's collages throughout the years. Truthfully, some are better than others, but they're all interesting. If nothing else, it shines a light on another side of a creative genius who can't stop being creative.

[Kerfe · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a few interesting and skillful collages in Pollard's book, but generally I was disappointed. Nothing to make me go "Wow!" and not much inspiration. Maybe because it all seems so studied, done for effect only. Surrealism meets Joseph Cornell and feigns coolness...or something like that. There were 2 or 3 poems I liked, but all of them, too, seemed to be trying too hard. His titles are clever, though.

Posturing, that's the world. I didn't sense that this was art that he needed to make; instead he was creating a persona of the "artist" he wanted the world to see him as being. Art should come from a deeper place than that.

And Rick Moody's introduction--pretentious, unreadable.

I wouldn't say don't look at these...there are interesting juxtapositions in some of them. But don't spend your money; take it out of the library, as I did.

[Magda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, popular song, you are best in 4-track recordings, with a shifting and inconstant band constituency, you are best when there is a tendency to make albums under other names and to churn out songs at an unimaginable rate and without exercising undue editorial restraint, with vocals recorded during a tag sale, as long as the compositions feature recombination, and the appropriate amount of word play!

Isn't it great to exist
at this point in time
where the produce is rotten
but no one's forgotten
children in the sprinkler
junkies on the corner
the smell of fried foods
and pure hot tar
man you needn't travel far
to feel completely alive
on Strawberry Philadelphia Drive
on a hazy day
In 19 something and 5

Coffee and cinema fuel his prolific and seemingly limitless creativity; he was once featured in an article in the Dayton Daily News as the "guy who rents the most films" at the local Blockbuster video store.

[UVM Libraries]

To get this book from the University of Vermont Libraries:
http://voyager.uvm.edu/bibs/bid167664...

[Shawn Marie Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I need some inspiration in my own work I open this book. Bob's vision is always amazing, inspiring, and full of humor. Love it!

[David Crunelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOB

[Ian White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant visual equivalent of GBV/Robert Pollard music i.e. an inspired collage of found materials reassembled into something brilliant and unique.