Given Enough Dust

In Given Enough Dust, John Sandbach's sixth and largest collection of haiku, he continues to follow the five pieces of advice which Jean Dubuffet gave to artists: (1) Get drunk on art. (2) Don't follow trends. (3) Be unconventional. (4) Believe in Magic. (5) Don't think you're the one in control.

Number one means: If you can't get high on your own drugs, then you can't expect others to get high on them either, so maybe you should try a different line of work. Number two means: If you're following the trends of others then you aren't following your own, so it's not art. Three means: You don't have to try to be unconventional, all you have to do is be yourself rather than trying to impersonate someone else. Number four means: Anything truly living will allow magic to seep in, so use no caulking on your work, and make your holes inviting. Number five means: Never forget that robotics might be a type of art, but art is never a type of robotics.

These experimental haiku are accompanied by 24 of Sandbach's experimental paintings. We hope you enjoy both the literary and visual experiences of this book as you explore the lights and shadows of it.