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Mythology of Place - Homage to James K Baxter - © 1993-94 - Lloyd Godman - Lawrence Jones - Mythology of Place - Book now available

Photographs of the Brighton Coastal Otago World of James K Baxter

Composite Image of Tunnel Beach

left detail - Homage to Baxter  Resonance XIII Composite Image of Tunnel Beach

One of three selenium toned silver gelatine prints - Lloyd Godman - (Click on image detail to enlarge) - Full size image

Homage to Baxter  Resonance XIII Composite Image of Tunnel Beach

Resonance XIII

Tunnel Beach is photographed by many people and I knew we had to search for a new and perspective, but one that also related to Baxter. The day was clear and as the noise of the huge clean swell thundered across the cliff tops it was difficult to imagine how we could find an image that related to the sexual experience that Baxter found in the place, but easy to find one that related to death. The opposites of tunnel and headland offered the symbols we were looking for. I later spoke to a friend of mine about Baxter's symbols for Tunnel Beach and he said for him is was certainly one of death. In his youth he had climbed out onto the flat pinnacle of limestone rock feature in the centre image and had become stranded only to be rescued many hours later.

 

Map of Brighton indicating where the image Resonance XIII was taken from

enlarge map

 

James K Baxter - Poem references

The Waves    1962 - 3  CP 265

Your labia of rock, high breasts of foam
 
 

Tunnel Beach   1946  CP. 53

Thunder along her seven beaches......

From the sea-carved cliffs that
held us in their hand.....

through the rock tunnel whined

the wind, time's hound in leash
and stirred the sand and murmured in your hair
the honey of your moving thighs