Murals and muses: an art professor speaks
By Aaron Yeager, Staff Writer
October 8, 2007 | 5:03 p.m.
Seemingly unsatisfied by the world around him, Professor Aethelred Eldridge has effectively created his own. Tucked away in Room 427 in Seigfred Hall lies a black-and-white themed refuge full of loose pamphlets, random manila folders and the sprightly old artist himself.
Many have seen the mural beneath Seigfred Hall, which encompasses a vast sea of Olde English and contorted figures. Its beguiling visions invite the awe and bewilderment of all those who behold it, in much a parallel to its errant author.
"Everything id-entifies as hue-man," Eldridge said, supposedly quoting William Blake, his most venerated muse.
Eldridge is rumored to believe that he is the reincarnation of Blake. When asked about this, the artist dodged the question by explaining that "reincarnation" is not a literary term, and explained the roots of the word "incarnation," noting that it meant "blood" or "soul."
Eldridge's favorite work by the canonic poet is "Milton: a Poem," which, ironically, is about a dead writer coming back to share the body of a living one.
Making things more obscure is Eldridge's modus operandi, whether intentional or not. Yet, on this point, as on many others, one can almost see through to what he means.
"[Allen] Ginsberg wrote me a letter," Eldridge explained. "He said that he was 'the true Blake.'"
Eldridge found this letter from the renowned poet to be an affront, indicating that his knowledge on Blake is superior to Ginsberg’s. In fact, Eldridge founded The Church of William Blake, otherwise known as Golgonooza, in 1976. The name comes from Blake's mythological "city of art and God."
The Church, the professor noted, is only a church "in gathering," and not a true religious body. "You have to call yourself what the categorical imperative demands," Eldridge added.
Eldridge also used to give regular recitals of Blake's poetry in Galbreath Chapel until the use of the building was limited to student groups.
Sharing his own writing through Seigfred's mural, "Neowes from Golgonooza," however, has proved to be more vexing to read.
"Nobody reads these words," he said. "[People who study the mural] aren't poetic, they're ‘noetic.’ They can't rely on the words, so they can't rely on themselves."
The narratives strung throughout "Neowes" employ generous doses of alliteration and wordplay, often relating very loosely to the panels they are supposed to be explaining.
"Art is meant to be read out loud," Eldridge said. The artist also denied there being an overarching narrative to his text, saying simply, "the story is telling me."
"Neowes" is the fourth mural Eldridge has painted at Ohio University. The first was in color and was located under Alden Library. Eldridge fell off the scaffolding while painting it and broke his arm. It was, at the time, the largest mural ever painted on OU’s academic grounds, and the first to be painted with acrylics.
While part of "Neowes" has been defaced by orange spray paint, Eldridge said that he "doesn't give a shit anymore" about retouching the work.
The artist himself used to be an avid spray-painter. He claims to be one of the first to paint using aerosol cans. Having worked in a car factory in Detroit for many years, Eldridge said that car painters were the "ultimate pointillists."
Eldridge then digressed into an imagined scene involving French painter Henri Matisse, who at one point used his mouth to draw with charcoal pieces.
"They used to apply fixative to the drawings when he was done," Eldridge said. "What if they had put the fixative tube in Matisse's mouth, and let him squirt it onto the canvas?"
He then motioned as if he were blowing a dart. "Follow?" he asked, his eyes seeming to be full of excitement.
If anything, one cannot fault the professor for his sincere passion for his job and his calling.
"Art isn't a therapy," Eldridge said. "It has nothing to do with my health."
Shuffling through his desk drawers frantically, the artist retrieved a write-up he had prepared for the interview. He starts reading aloud a very detailed recipe for cooking bison meat.
"Wait, this isn't what I wanted," Eldridge said, after about 30 seconds of intense recital. Virtually unaffected, he returned to his search with fresh confidence.
He need not have said more.
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Read Prof. Eldridge's official blog at albionawake.org.