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We Bury the Landscape
“It isn’t everyday a book offers two very different ways of reading. The first: intensely personal, sometimes bewildering and yet rigorously demanding in terms of creative participation, and the second: intellectual, research-based and analytical, but also a call to a communal multi-genre artistic experience. These two different methods are on offer in Kristine Ong Muslim’s collection of micro fictions We Bury the Landscape, an assemblage of very short ekphrastic pieces.”
—Michelle Bailat-Jones in Necessary Fiction
“Although the relationship between painting and prose is certainly essential to fully experiencing this collection, the collection is more than an exhibition or exercise in ekphrasis … Muslim’s collection-exhibition chronicles the process in which the things we drown, discard, and bury are exhumed and continue to haunt us even after we have buried them again.”
—Hayes Moore in A cappella Zoo
“Conceptually, this is one of the most unusual books I have ever read. We Bury the Landscape, by Kristine Ong Muslim, is a collection of 100 mini-stories based on works of visual art—paintings for the most part, but also drawings, and one photograph .... The pieces themselves reflect the surrealism of the selection. They are flights of the imagination, untrammelled by pedantic considerations of plausibility. In effect, they are more in the nature of prose poems, where the language is every bit as important as the content.”
—Colman O Criodain in Gloom Cupboard
“It’s not the talking that is significant but the stories themselves that are important. We must accept the things we most want to query. All of which suggests that one strand of the weird invites us to reconsider entirely how we tell stories and how we understand them. I’ve been thinking about this every time I come back to Kristine Ong Muslim’s We Bury the Landscape.”
—Maureen Kincaid Speller in Weird Fiction Review
“[We Bury the Landscape is] filled with an uncanny wisdom about what terrifies us most in life and death—a knowledge so nonchalant and startling each poem proves only to reveal truths about each of us, about our humanity.”
—Susan Yount in Rebellious Magazine
—Michelle Bailat-Jones in Necessary Fiction
“Although the relationship between painting and prose is certainly essential to fully experiencing this collection, the collection is more than an exhibition or exercise in ekphrasis … Muslim’s collection-exhibition chronicles the process in which the things we drown, discard, and bury are exhumed and continue to haunt us even after we have buried them again.”
—Hayes Moore in A cappella Zoo
“Conceptually, this is one of the most unusual books I have ever read. We Bury the Landscape, by Kristine Ong Muslim, is a collection of 100 mini-stories based on works of visual art—paintings for the most part, but also drawings, and one photograph .... The pieces themselves reflect the surrealism of the selection. They are flights of the imagination, untrammelled by pedantic considerations of plausibility. In effect, they are more in the nature of prose poems, where the language is every bit as important as the content.”
—Colman O Criodain in Gloom Cupboard
“It’s not the talking that is significant but the stories themselves that are important. We must accept the things we most want to query. All of which suggests that one strand of the weird invites us to reconsider entirely how we tell stories and how we understand them. I’ve been thinking about this every time I come back to Kristine Ong Muslim’s We Bury the Landscape.”
—Maureen Kincaid Speller in Weird Fiction Review
“[We Bury the Landscape is] filled with an uncanny wisdom about what terrifies us most in life and death—a knowledge so nonchalant and startling each poem proves only to reveal truths about each of us, about our humanity.”
—Susan Yount in Rebellious Magazine
- GenresPoetry
120 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2012
2 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Kristine Ong Muslim
111 books186 followersKristine Ong Muslim is the author of The Drone Outside (Eibonvale Press, 2017), Black Arcadia (University of the Philippines Press, 2017), Meditations of a Beast (Cornerstone Press, 2016), Butterfly Dream (Snuggly Books, 2016), Age of Blight (Unnamed Press, 2016), and several other books of fiction and poetry. She co-edited numerous anthologies of fiction, including Destination: SEA 2050 A.D. (Penguin Random House SEA, 2022), Ulirát: Best Contemporary Stories in Translation from the Philippines (Gaudy Boy, 2021), and the British Fantasy Award-winning People of Colo(u)r Destroy Science Fiction! (2016). Her translation of Amado Anthony G. Mendoza III’s novel, Book of the Damned, won a 2023 PEN/Heim grant. She is also the translator of nine books by Filipino authors Mesándel Virtusio Arguelles, Rogelio Braga, and Marlon Hacla. Widely anthologized, Muslim’s short stories were published in Conjunctions, Dazed, and World Literature Today and translated into Bulgarian, Czech, German, Japanese, Polish, and Serbian. She lives in a small farmhouse in Sitio Magutay, a remote rural highland area in Maguindanao, Philippines.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 18, 2015
"We Bury the Landscape" is a sublime book of ekphrastic flash. Each of these micro-gems is inspired by a painting. The writing is brilliant and I highly recommend that everyone order a copy of this book!!! Exceptional and unforgettable!
February 28, 2012
Most of the time, I don't necessarily "get" art. I enjoy it and find reasons why it's pleasing to me. I find a piece of art and look at what the artist has to say about what they were trying to do and it's always something way different from what I see. For example, one of my friends is an artist and I have one of her paintings in my home. I see a wine bottle with darkness around it, possibly representing the deepness of a red wine, or maybe even a higher level of the dark things drinking can do. She tells me she didn't even mean to paint a wine bottle and still doesn't see one. But that's what I see.
Anyway, the reason I loved this book is because Muslim gave me such amazing stories about each painting, stories that made sense to me and were creative and inspiring. I was unfamiliar with most of the art, so I looked each painting up and gave it good hard look before reading the story. Her stories reminded me of an imaginative person sitting in an art museum making up fantastic histories to each painting, something that I might do. And when some of those paintings that I looked up had some artist commentary, it was always something that I didn't "get" and Muslim's stories made more sense to me, despite the fact that they are fiction. I don't think I could pick a favorite piece of art and corresponding story in this book, but perhaps the first one, Landscape with Grenade, would be it. I love it because I don't know what the artist was trying to say with that and I'm sure it's probably something about society, but Muslim wrote about a landscape with a giant grenade in it and what the people who lived there might think if they saw it. It was so refreshing and creative and interesting. I love some of the post-apocalyptic stories she wrote about some of the surreal paintings, too.
Muslim wrote short stories for each piece of art, but it read like poetry. Her writing was descriptive and had a flow and rhythm to it that I enjoyed a lot. I would definitely read her other work and look forward to doing so.
This book was a bit different from what I normally read, but it was refreshing and wonderful!
http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2012/02...
Anyway, the reason I loved this book is because Muslim gave me such amazing stories about each painting, stories that made sense to me and were creative and inspiring. I was unfamiliar with most of the art, so I looked each painting up and gave it good hard look before reading the story. Her stories reminded me of an imaginative person sitting in an art museum making up fantastic histories to each painting, something that I might do. And when some of those paintings that I looked up had some artist commentary, it was always something that I didn't "get" and Muslim's stories made more sense to me, despite the fact that they are fiction. I don't think I could pick a favorite piece of art and corresponding story in this book, but perhaps the first one, Landscape with Grenade, would be it. I love it because I don't know what the artist was trying to say with that and I'm sure it's probably something about society, but Muslim wrote about a landscape with a giant grenade in it and what the people who lived there might think if they saw it. It was so refreshing and creative and interesting. I love some of the post-apocalyptic stories she wrote about some of the surreal paintings, too.
Muslim wrote short stories for each piece of art, but it read like poetry. Her writing was descriptive and had a flow and rhythm to it that I enjoyed a lot. I would definitely read her other work and look forward to doing so.
This book was a bit different from what I normally read, but it was refreshing and wonderful!
http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2012/02...
July 25, 2013
I gobbled up this amazing collection in three bites, and I already want to go back and gorge myself on it again. Muslim's command of the extremely short form here is a remarkable achievement, each brief creation the most potent and distilled slice of story that lesser writers would take an entire novel to fill. Simply incredible, a must-read.
September 2, 2012
We Bury the Landscape is a collection of flash fictions and prose poems inspired by surrealist paintings from all over the world. Most of the stories are under 500 words long.
Kristine Ong Muslim writes both prose and poetry and the collection is a beautiful blend of both. Here is a magical, mysterious, perilous world of mermaids, women-turned-chandeliers, and policemen that chase gryphons. The spirits of Kafka, Borges and Calvino linger on the pages, in addition to the surrealist painters, such as Dali, Magritte, Miro, Heffernan and Tanning, who have inspired the stories
In a collection with as many stories as this, it's unavoidable that some stories are similar to the others. However, the range in style and atmosphere is nevertheless solid, from the lyrical Abandoned Dwellings, the pastoral The Tilled Field, the whimsical The Revenge of the Goldfish , the dark Insomnias and the satirical Industrial Farm Family.
Each tale is full of fantastic images and turn of phrases that are both delicious, delirious, and have a nice sting, including:
"When Bogomil arrived on this planet, we gladly mistook him for the messiah. [...] His coming gave us room to commit more misdeeds." - Bogomil's Landing
"He loves to hear them call him ugly, because it makes him feel important."- Nowhere Room
" - can you determine which blackened husk corresponds to the sun?" - Evening Ceremonies
The collection covers topics such as family, romance, modern society and the end of the world. It is, however, at its best when it discusses the lives and situations of girls and women, such as the sad and funny Milk Maiden, A Much Younger Wife, Nobody's Beast and The Dirty Princess.
There is also much compassion for the outsider and the different, such as Bad Egg, Cactus Man and the touching Boy With Propeller Head. Some of the strongest tales are the shortest stories, including Colored Pencils and Bug Chairs, which linger long after reading.
All in all this is an impressive collection of lyrically surreal prose poems and flash fictions that reveal the pathos, folly and beauty of human life.
Kristine Ong Muslim writes both prose and poetry and the collection is a beautiful blend of both. Here is a magical, mysterious, perilous world of mermaids, women-turned-chandeliers, and policemen that chase gryphons. The spirits of Kafka, Borges and Calvino linger on the pages, in addition to the surrealist painters, such as Dali, Magritte, Miro, Heffernan and Tanning, who have inspired the stories
In a collection with as many stories as this, it's unavoidable that some stories are similar to the others. However, the range in style and atmosphere is nevertheless solid, from the lyrical Abandoned Dwellings, the pastoral The Tilled Field, the whimsical The Revenge of the Goldfish , the dark Insomnias and the satirical Industrial Farm Family.
Each tale is full of fantastic images and turn of phrases that are both delicious, delirious, and have a nice sting, including:
"When Bogomil arrived on this planet, we gladly mistook him for the messiah. [...] His coming gave us room to commit more misdeeds." - Bogomil's Landing
"He loves to hear them call him ugly, because it makes him feel important."- Nowhere Room
" - can you determine which blackened husk corresponds to the sun?" - Evening Ceremonies
The collection covers topics such as family, romance, modern society and the end of the world. It is, however, at its best when it discusses the lives and situations of girls and women, such as the sad and funny Milk Maiden, A Much Younger Wife, Nobody's Beast and The Dirty Princess.
There is also much compassion for the outsider and the different, such as Bad Egg, Cactus Man and the touching Boy With Propeller Head. Some of the strongest tales are the shortest stories, including Colored Pencils and Bug Chairs, which linger long after reading.
All in all this is an impressive collection of lyrically surreal prose poems and flash fictions that reveal the pathos, folly and beauty of human life.
July 23, 2013
What can you do with a couple hundred words? Create worlds, present dreams, crush a heart - a lot, in short, and you need only look at Kristine Ong Muslim's remarkable collection of ekphrastic micro pieces. Each short fiction/prose poem/dream element is based on a work of art, and this makes for a great reading experience. Read the words first and view the art in a different light; see the art first and realize how rich the words become. Some pieces are complete narratives, others have no plot but evoke atmosphere and emotion. My favorite is "What Better Lure" based on a De Chirico painting, which begins, "A man in a gray suit watches his future unroll", and ends in hope or regret, depending on how you see it.
November 13, 2016
We Bury the Landscape is a collection of interpretations of mainly twentieth-century paintings, one-hundred in all. The paintings are not included and the interpretations are in story-poem fashion. Muslim’s style appears simple at first, information given without bells and whistles, flowery language, or elaborate metaphors and similes. Her stories are another matter. They speak volumes. The mind’s eye sees easily because Muslim’s creativity gives the impression of easy.
In The Seagull (pastel on paper), Muslim writes about the fascination with a seashell. On the one hand, she claims people don’t care about them, “Whenever we turn you over to inspect your underside/you presume that we care.” Later, she expresses a change due to death, “Once dead, you become an object of art washed up on the shore of this watery museum.” Between these lines, Muslim confesses the change isn’t due to the need to take the shell apart in order experience its gift, “Strange how you don’t require dismantling in order to confess the ocean trapped inside your folds.” Finally, Muslim ends her short tale with an upbeat thought, “And ah, what a pink smile you have.” The object isn’t complicated either, just an ordinary shell. Deep thoughts and creative insight is anything but simple however.
Appearing dull at first too is Prefab (after Jean-Maire Poumeyrol’s Le Blackhaus). Muslim’s words paint as the painter’s paint, weaving a tale centered on a house not being as it appears. To outsiders, the house seems plain, not like insiders who see detail, though detail means isolation. Muslim continues simplicity with “Don’t read between the lines. It is just a house.” Then asks, “Or is it?” She insinuates a painting may uncomplicated upon first glance. Longer examination reveals extensive detail.
Kristine Ong Muslim published multiple works, won numerous awards, and appeared in over 500 publications. Her recent chapbook is Insomnia (Medulla Publishing).
Cover art is by Siobhan McCusker, an artist, writer, and adjunct lecturer in Fine Arts and History of Art disciplines in the Wits School of Art in Johannesburg who holds an MA (FA) focused on the historical precedents of Land Art, and the contemporary exploration of Environmental Art.
Muslim brings attention to paintings t and shares how they inspired her. Readers may decide their vision different than Muslim’s after viewing the paintings that are from multiple artists. No matter. Muslim’s style is one to give a closer look to, even though at first seem ordinary.
To view the paintings, go to Muslim’s web-site on an out-of-the-way page at http://kristinemuslim.weebly.com/gall... .
* Imaginitive
* Unusual
* Fast-read
Author: Kristine Ong Muslim
In The Seagull (pastel on paper), Muslim writes about the fascination with a seashell. On the one hand, she claims people don’t care about them, “Whenever we turn you over to inspect your underside/you presume that we care.” Later, she expresses a change due to death, “Once dead, you become an object of art washed up on the shore of this watery museum.” Between these lines, Muslim confesses the change isn’t due to the need to take the shell apart in order experience its gift, “Strange how you don’t require dismantling in order to confess the ocean trapped inside your folds.” Finally, Muslim ends her short tale with an upbeat thought, “And ah, what a pink smile you have.” The object isn’t complicated either, just an ordinary shell. Deep thoughts and creative insight is anything but simple however.
Appearing dull at first too is Prefab (after Jean-Maire Poumeyrol’s Le Blackhaus). Muslim’s words paint as the painter’s paint, weaving a tale centered on a house not being as it appears. To outsiders, the house seems plain, not like insiders who see detail, though detail means isolation. Muslim continues simplicity with “Don’t read between the lines. It is just a house.” Then asks, “Or is it?” She insinuates a painting may uncomplicated upon first glance. Longer examination reveals extensive detail.
Kristine Ong Muslim published multiple works, won numerous awards, and appeared in over 500 publications. Her recent chapbook is Insomnia (Medulla Publishing).
Cover art is by Siobhan McCusker, an artist, writer, and adjunct lecturer in Fine Arts and History of Art disciplines in the Wits School of Art in Johannesburg who holds an MA (FA) focused on the historical precedents of Land Art, and the contemporary exploration of Environmental Art.
Muslim brings attention to paintings t and shares how they inspired her. Readers may decide their vision different than Muslim’s after viewing the paintings that are from multiple artists. No matter. Muslim’s style is one to give a closer look to, even though at first seem ordinary.
To view the paintings, go to Muslim’s web-site on an out-of-the-way page at http://kristinemuslim.weebly.com/gall... .
* Imaginitive
* Unusual
* Fast-read
Author: Kristine Ong Muslim
April 4, 2012
When I first accepted this review request I had no idea what to expect. This was by far a different type of book that I have not read before and I was interested in how the author would go about presenting her book.
I will be the first to admit that when it comes to art I know next to nothing. And trying to interpret it? Forget it. But, what I do love is the artwork itself. I wish I had the ability to do master pieces that get highly valued in museums (then again I wish I could draw a straight line too but that will never happen). So before reading each work I had to look up the piece of artwork that was getting referred to and granted it seems more work than someone should have to do, but it is completely worth it. Unless someone is an art guru and can tell what the piece of artwork that gets mentioned at the beginning is, I think that looking up the piece helps a lot.
When looking up the artwork, compared to what the author writes, so much can be taken out of it, but most importantly is what the author sees compared to what the reader sees. And honestly, I think it was the little details like that that really brought out the stories.
Now do I have a favorite? Not really, I pretty much liked them all for one reason or another. Like most art work, it's not easy to compare them because it's comparing apples to oranges. Each of these stories had something that they brought with them that was original to themselves just as the artwork that inspires the piece are original.
And I little note on the age genre: I couldn't really decide where it goes so I just said everyone because I think this book has a little for everyone no matter what age.
Honestly, I enjoyed this read because it was different and the stories really came alive to me. Muslim was able to bring something original and amazing, while making it her own along the way.
I will be the first to admit that when it comes to art I know next to nothing. And trying to interpret it? Forget it. But, what I do love is the artwork itself. I wish I had the ability to do master pieces that get highly valued in museums (then again I wish I could draw a straight line too but that will never happen). So before reading each work I had to look up the piece of artwork that was getting referred to and granted it seems more work than someone should have to do, but it is completely worth it. Unless someone is an art guru and can tell what the piece of artwork that gets mentioned at the beginning is, I think that looking up the piece helps a lot.
When looking up the artwork, compared to what the author writes, so much can be taken out of it, but most importantly is what the author sees compared to what the reader sees. And honestly, I think it was the little details like that that really brought out the stories.
Now do I have a favorite? Not really, I pretty much liked them all for one reason or another. Like most art work, it's not easy to compare them because it's comparing apples to oranges. Each of these stories had something that they brought with them that was original to themselves just as the artwork that inspires the piece are original.
And I little note on the age genre: I couldn't really decide where it goes so I just said everyone because I think this book has a little for everyone no matter what age.
Honestly, I enjoyed this read because it was different and the stories really came alive to me. Muslim was able to bring something original and amazing, while making it her own along the way.
December 28, 2017
This is such an unusual book! Is it fiction? Sometimes. Is it non-fiction? Maybe a little. Is it poetry? Definitely. Is it also prose? For sure.
Essentially, Kristine Ong Muslim has given voice to the thoughts that traipse through your mind when looking at art. While sometimes her words are literal interpretations of the visual, more often they tell a story of what is lurking just outside the frame. From heartbreaking backstory to inspiring monologue, these vignettes delight and give each piece new dimension.
I am not terribly well versed in art, and I admit to reading the book sitting at my computer so as to look up each piece before I read the accompanying story. This made the reading take much longer than it otherwise would have, but I think it was the right way to do it. It became almost a meditation - find the artwork, study it, read the piece, study the artwork again, frequently re-read the piece and re-study the art - sometimes I'd spend 15 minutes or more on an individual story of only a few sentences. In each case, I was rewarded. I was also introduced me to new artists I'd never heard of, like Julie Heffernan, whose work I am now a little obsessed with. I'm also looking forward to my next trip to a museum or gallery, so that I can try my hand at this new way of viewing art.
Essentially, Kristine Ong Muslim has given voice to the thoughts that traipse through your mind when looking at art. While sometimes her words are literal interpretations of the visual, more often they tell a story of what is lurking just outside the frame. From heartbreaking backstory to inspiring monologue, these vignettes delight and give each piece new dimension.
I am not terribly well versed in art, and I admit to reading the book sitting at my computer so as to look up each piece before I read the accompanying story. This made the reading take much longer than it otherwise would have, but I think it was the right way to do it. It became almost a meditation - find the artwork, study it, read the piece, study the artwork again, frequently re-read the piece and re-study the art - sometimes I'd spend 15 minutes or more on an individual story of only a few sentences. In each case, I was rewarded. I was also introduced me to new artists I'd never heard of, like Julie Heffernan, whose work I am now a little obsessed with. I'm also looking forward to my next trip to a museum or gallery, so that I can try my hand at this new way of viewing art.
April 10, 2012
I’m not a huge fan of short stories as a general rule, because I typically find them just too short to really get involved in. However, We Bury the Landscape is a super interesting concept, because it’s a compilation of extremely short snippets based on various pieces of art work.
I didn’t have the chance to read the whole book in time for this review, however the stories I read were very interesting and got me looking at art in a different perspective. I can see myself going back to this book over time to discover new things, or just take a short break from whatever I’m doing to read something short. In paging through my e-copy, I really think this would be a fun book to just open at random to see what you discover, because the stories are so short that even if you don’t like one, it won’t last long, and you’ll probably always find something new (unless you majored in Art History, then maybe not)
While this definitely isn’t a normal read for me, I found it very interesting, and I’m glad I took a chance on it. If you’re into art and short stories, you probably should take a chance on it too!
I didn’t have the chance to read the whole book in time for this review, however the stories I read were very interesting and got me looking at art in a different perspective. I can see myself going back to this book over time to discover new things, or just take a short break from whatever I’m doing to read something short. In paging through my e-copy, I really think this would be a fun book to just open at random to see what you discover, because the stories are so short that even if you don’t like one, it won’t last long, and you’ll probably always find something new (unless you majored in Art History, then maybe not)
While this definitely isn’t a normal read for me, I found it very interesting, and I’m glad I took a chance on it. If you’re into art and short stories, you probably should take a chance on it too!
August 31, 2012
This collection of flash fiction was inspired by paintings and photographs and each story is an extension, an interpretation or a look inside the separate works of art. Ms. Muslim's writing is very visual, so much so that reading her stories is like looking at images on canvas, all you need is a tiny bit of imagination to see it in color.
The stories may not describe the art that inspired them but they are tied to it, especially in execution - abstract works yield equally abstract fiction, and more traditional subjects result in stories that are more easily processed by those with limited appreciation for modern art. Being one of the latter while I can see the merits of this collection the pieces aren't something I particularly enjoyed reading - in literature, as in visual art, I prefer fiction that reads more like Vermeer's paintings look, as opposed to Bosch's. If your artistic preferences tend in the opposite direction and you enjoy flash fiction I would venture to guess that you will very much like this collection.
Read more of my reviews at Bibliophile's Corner
The stories may not describe the art that inspired them but they are tied to it, especially in execution - abstract works yield equally abstract fiction, and more traditional subjects result in stories that are more easily processed by those with limited appreciation for modern art. Being one of the latter while I can see the merits of this collection the pieces aren't something I particularly enjoyed reading - in literature, as in visual art, I prefer fiction that reads more like Vermeer's paintings look, as opposed to Bosch's. If your artistic preferences tend in the opposite direction and you enjoy flash fiction I would venture to guess that you will very much like this collection.
Read more of my reviews at Bibliophile's Corner
February 6, 2013
Really enjoyed this one and reviewed it at HTMLGiant, for which I also did a YouTube Video. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6iYZr...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6iYZr...
March 13, 2024
The imagination Kristine Ong Muslim displays here is extraordinary. Out of this world, if we even say further. This collection of ekphrasis is a tome of bizarre interpretations. Existing paintings are given new meanings or stories while the descriptions are just as vivid as the ones on canvas. Perhaps I would have fully enjoyed this collection if only each poem was accompanied by the painting it was inspired by. But I understand, given that it would be costly to secure the rights of the paintings for print. Regardless, this collection demonstrates that writing and visual arts go hand in hand; neither of the two is superior to the other.
June 14, 2013
This review was first posted on Music, Books and Tea
I was offered the chance to review We Bury the Landscape by the author, and whilst it's not the normal type of book I would normally read, I was definitely intrigued by its concept. I think that it's always interesting to see where author's gain their inspiration from, so receiving a book of 100 short stories and poems that are all based on different paintings definitely appealed to me.
I'm not a great lover of art (in this sense), yet I can appreciate the hard work and passion that goes into a painting, as it is very similar to the hard work and passion that goes into a novel. As I'm not that well-versed in art, I had to look up each painting before reading the accompanying piece. This was time-consuming but well-worth the effort. What I loved about discovering all these new pieces of art was the fact that whilst I may have interpreted a piece to represent one idea, the author interpreted it to mean another, and because of the stories, I was able to understand her interpretations as well.
So many of these stories were poignant to me as well. The story that the title is taken from, Abandoned Dwellings, (inspired by Vladimir Kush's painting of the same name), really connected with me, especially as I flicked between painting and prose. Landscape with Grenade was possibly my favourite story, as I loved the idea that had been taken from the art, and I could actually imagine the people in the painting re-enacting the story.
I am so pleased that I was given the opportunity to read this book. I doubt I would have ever picked it up otherwise, and I would have really been missing out on all these wonderful pieces of artwork, and the fantastic poetry and prose of Kristine Ong Muslim.
I was offered the chance to review We Bury the Landscape by the author, and whilst it's not the normal type of book I would normally read, I was definitely intrigued by its concept. I think that it's always interesting to see where author's gain their inspiration from, so receiving a book of 100 short stories and poems that are all based on different paintings definitely appealed to me.
I'm not a great lover of art (in this sense), yet I can appreciate the hard work and passion that goes into a painting, as it is very similar to the hard work and passion that goes into a novel. As I'm not that well-versed in art, I had to look up each painting before reading the accompanying piece. This was time-consuming but well-worth the effort. What I loved about discovering all these new pieces of art was the fact that whilst I may have interpreted a piece to represent one idea, the author interpreted it to mean another, and because of the stories, I was able to understand her interpretations as well.
So many of these stories were poignant to me as well. The story that the title is taken from, Abandoned Dwellings, (inspired by Vladimir Kush's painting of the same name), really connected with me, especially as I flicked between painting and prose. Landscape with Grenade was possibly my favourite story, as I loved the idea that had been taken from the art, and I could actually imagine the people in the painting re-enacting the story.
I am so pleased that I was given the opportunity to read this book. I doubt I would have ever picked it up otherwise, and I would have really been missing out on all these wonderful pieces of artwork, and the fantastic poetry and prose of Kristine Ong Muslim.
August 12, 2012
Doesn't the description catch your interest? This book is definitely one of a kind, and I believe everyone should have the chance to read it and see the paintings that the stories are based off of. With that being said, this book is not a novel. It is not something you sit down and enjoy in one sitting (although you very well can do this). This is a coffee table novel that your guests look at (and in my case, wonder how on earth I became so artistically-inclined), kind of like a poetry book or a picture book.
Note that the art is contemporary art (and it's a kind I sit and wonder how on earth the artist came up with it). So I recommend looking at the art before you read the stories because they make more sense when you see what the story's based off of.
I thought I'd list a few themes from the stories to give you an idea of what you can look forward to. We go from various fairy tales like Jack and the Beanstalk or the Princess and the Frog to nursery rhymes like Humpty Dumpty. There's one story that reminds me very much of The Metamorphosis and the painting is creepy. We've also got Gucci handbags, a Volkswagon, a carnivorous flower, instruments writhing in pain, and it's raining men. And one story that I can relate to: one with tons of goldfish in the room. Now why can I relate to this? Call me crazy, but I've had a dream (more than once) where my bettas decided to rebel against me and plot my demise. So, yes my fish scare me...
If you like artistic paintings, then you'll most definitely like reading this book. However, I think even the non-visually-artistically inclined could enjoy this book as well (I fall in this category).
Note that the art is contemporary art (and it's a kind I sit and wonder how on earth the artist came up with it). So I recommend looking at the art before you read the stories because they make more sense when you see what the story's based off of.
I thought I'd list a few themes from the stories to give you an idea of what you can look forward to. We go from various fairy tales like Jack and the Beanstalk or the Princess and the Frog to nursery rhymes like Humpty Dumpty. There's one story that reminds me very much of The Metamorphosis and the painting is creepy. We've also got Gucci handbags, a Volkswagon, a carnivorous flower, instruments writhing in pain, and it's raining men. And one story that I can relate to: one with tons of goldfish in the room. Now why can I relate to this? Call me crazy, but I've had a dream (more than once) where my bettas decided to rebel against me and plot my demise. So, yes my fish scare me...
If you like artistic paintings, then you'll most definitely like reading this book. However, I think even the non-visually-artistically inclined could enjoy this book as well (I fall in this category).
March 15, 2012
Usually, I would never choose to review a book like this. For one, I'm not big on short stories, or a collection of stories, which is essentially what this book is. Secondly, I have never really been interested in art. I've gone to museums and I think the paintings look pretty, but I have never understood them the same way others do. So I surprised myself when I agreed to review this book, it looked interesting and original. I am happy that I went out of my comfort zone with this one because I really enjoyed it!
We Bury the Landscape is a very interesting way to look at different pieces of artwork. Kristine Ong Muslim creates her own stories and poems in response to each artwork featured in the book. She gives the painting a history as well as makes the piece come to life.
The main problem that I had with this book was I wish that the stories were accompanied with the artwork that the stories are about. I think it would have made the stories even better if I was able to just turn the page and see the artwork. There were a few that I did look up, and it enhanced the story so much!
I thought We Bury the Landscape was beautifully written. It was so imaginative, and I thought Muslim did a wonderful job with bringing these artworks to life. I think this book would be especially enjoyable for people who really can understand the hidden meanings of art. But if your ignorant like me, I think you can enjoy this creative book as well.
We Bury the Landscape is a very interesting way to look at different pieces of artwork. Kristine Ong Muslim creates her own stories and poems in response to each artwork featured in the book. She gives the painting a history as well as makes the piece come to life.
The main problem that I had with this book was I wish that the stories were accompanied with the artwork that the stories are about. I think it would have made the stories even better if I was able to just turn the page and see the artwork. There were a few that I did look up, and it enhanced the story so much!
I thought We Bury the Landscape was beautifully written. It was so imaginative, and I thought Muslim did a wonderful job with bringing these artworks to life. I think this book would be especially enjoyable for people who really can understand the hidden meanings of art. But if your ignorant like me, I think you can enjoy this creative book as well.
April 15, 2012
I must admit that I am not educated on anything involving art, the artists, or interpretations but thought the concept of "We Bury The Landscape" to be fresh and new. It was something that brings together poetry and paintings and helped educate me.
The author, Kristine Ong Muslim, does an amazing job interpreting the paintings as she sees them. Each painting comes alive with what she sees in her mind's eye and she has put them into writing. The book reads like poetry and she allows us the chance to envision the pieces as she did. I was able to see things from a different perspective. I enjoyed each passage and the book, overall, was a nice and quick read.
What was time consuming, however, was looking up paintings as I went along. For someone educated on art I'm sure reading the poetry within this book would have been smooth sailing. For those like myself, having to look the paintings up was tedious and I stopped before finishing the book. It would have been nice to see the paintings in the book so that I could easily make references, correlations, and observations without having to stop reading.
Other than me being lazy and wanting my artwork and reading it too, this is a unique look into interpretations of various paintings.
(Book provided at no cost in exchange for an honest review).
The author, Kristine Ong Muslim, does an amazing job interpreting the paintings as she sees them. Each painting comes alive with what she sees in her mind's eye and she has put them into writing. The book reads like poetry and she allows us the chance to envision the pieces as she did. I was able to see things from a different perspective. I enjoyed each passage and the book, overall, was a nice and quick read.
What was time consuming, however, was looking up paintings as I went along. For someone educated on art I'm sure reading the poetry within this book would have been smooth sailing. For those like myself, having to look the paintings up was tedious and I stopped before finishing the book. It would have been nice to see the paintings in the book so that I could easily make references, correlations, and observations without having to stop reading.
Other than me being lazy and wanting my artwork and reading it too, this is a unique look into interpretations of various paintings.
(Book provided at no cost in exchange for an honest review).
April 17, 2012
This is sort of an interesting, conceptual book. The author looked at many different paintings some well known and some not so well known, and wrote short stories (some very short) about it. All of the writing is flash fiction, which is especially interesting. It's definitely an interesting concept. Some of the stories tell you exactly what you can see in the painting and not much more. Other stories go a little bit further and really use the painting as a basis for a real story.
I read this book in the Kindle format meaning that there were no pictures to look at. Each story is titled by the name of the work of art, which meant I spent a lot of time looking up what all of the various paintings were, which was definitely a little disruptive to my reading. It did; however, introduce me to a lot of new paintings and artists, which was interesting.
I'm a casual art fan. I enjoy going to museums. I love wandering around but I don't really have any sort of art education and I can't help but to wonder if that would not have helped me enjoy the book more. I could see someone that really loves art and is familiar with the various artists and techniques in the art in this book really enjoy this one.
Bottom line: For the true art lover.
I read this book in the Kindle format meaning that there were no pictures to look at. Each story is titled by the name of the work of art, which meant I spent a lot of time looking up what all of the various paintings were, which was definitely a little disruptive to my reading. It did; however, introduce me to a lot of new paintings and artists, which was interesting.
I'm a casual art fan. I enjoy going to museums. I love wandering around but I don't really have any sort of art education and I can't help but to wonder if that would not have helped me enjoy the book more. I could see someone that really loves art and is familiar with the various artists and techniques in the art in this book really enjoy this one.
Bottom line: For the true art lover.
March 1, 2013
We Bury the Landscape is a collection of ekphrastic poems and short stories, meaning they are written in response to another piece of art. In this case, they reference pieces of art by Joan Miro and Salvador Dali and many others.
Kristine Ong Muslim is somehow able to give a voice to the people and objects in the paintings she references. They feel real, come alive and touch you. This is the type of poetry I enjoy. It gives voice to something that doesn't have one. It is more free-flow prose than structured stanzas. It is so much more accessible to those, like me, who have a hard time with poetry.
I only wish I had had the paintings readily available to look at while reading. I did go online and pull some up. Will probably go back and find more and retread the stories to see how they relate and how they don't.
Very cool read. I am so glad I finally opened this up and lost myself within it for awhile.
Kristine Ong Muslim is somehow able to give a voice to the people and objects in the paintings she references. They feel real, come alive and touch you. This is the type of poetry I enjoy. It gives voice to something that doesn't have one. It is more free-flow prose than structured stanzas. It is so much more accessible to those, like me, who have a hard time with poetry.
I only wish I had had the paintings readily available to look at while reading. I did go online and pull some up. Will probably go back and find more and retread the stories to see how they relate and how they don't.
Very cool read. I am so glad I finally opened this up and lost myself within it for awhile.
February 25, 2014
I have to say that I like the concept of this book. Basically, Kristine wrote little stories, poems, or notes to correspond to different paintings. It makes you imaging what is going on in the painting, them when you look them up you can decide for yourself if that is what you see or if you see something else.
The only thing I didn’t really like was that I had to look up the pictures to figure out what they were about. I know, I’m being lazy and whiny. But I think it would have made the book flow better.
Having said that, I think this is a great way to get your mind working. You can trying and find what she wrote about or you can look and make up your own versions. It’s all about expanding your mind.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
The only thing I didn’t really like was that I had to look up the pictures to figure out what they were about. I know, I’m being lazy and whiny. But I think it would have made the book flow better.
Having said that, I think this is a great way to get your mind working. You can trying and find what she wrote about or you can look and make up your own versions. It’s all about expanding your mind.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2012
We Bury the Landscape is a collection of ekphrastic vignettes set against surreal backdrops fraught with eerie characters faking normalcy. Kristine Ong Muslim’s visceral prose poems slash “the air with the precision of a matador’s sword striking bone”—no reader can plunge into her multiverse without kissing their comfort zone goodbye.
March 8, 2012
Every serious art and poetry lover should grab a copy of this collection of ekphrastic prose poems and microfiction by the talented Kristine Ong Muslim, WE BURY THE LANDSCAPE, a haunting, inertia-breaking madness of grace, resonance, and ZEN-like resignation, defying the laws of statics and dynamics of even the most rigid body.
August 6, 2012
If you've never read experimental/micro-fiction, don't make my first-pass mistake. Do not read this as a novel. Imagine yourself drifting through an art gallery, savor every piece as if it is hanging on the wall, waiting for inspiration. I truly stepped well outside by genre-comfort zone and am better for it. Here is a work to read, shelve, return to later.
August 21, 2012
Beautiful writing. I read some of it with the help of Google images so that I could see the referenced artwork. I read some all by myself. The book works either way because of the way the author turns visuals into narratives. A mind-bending romp.
May 8, 2013
My friend Peter Tieryas Liu recommended this book to me. I really loved the stories in the collection! They're kind of a mix between poetry and really good lit. All the stories are based on paintings and part of the fun is tracking down the original images.
December 11, 2012
One of the best collections of prose poems I've ever read. Bravo! Richly dark and haunting.
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