Andrew Topel
"On Concrete: the concrete photographs are a series of site-specific art works that exist now only as images. i call them poems; some may look at them and ask, ‘where's the poem?’ and i would respond - the poem was the sounds the birds made as i laid down each letter. the poem was the feel of the wind against my skin as i worked outdoors. the poem was the construction workers, the police officer, looking into whether or not i was vandalizing. the poem was the clouds moving overhead, the time slipping away, the shadows moving in as the afternoon became evening.
one of the definitions for concrete from the encarta world english dictionary is - solid and real: able to be seen or touched because it exists in reality, not just as an idea. i was the only one who was able to touch these poems in reality, to feel the heat of the concrete as i composed. the poems & memories that resulted remain solid in my mind."