Words and pictures ex machina? Hypertext and ekphrasis

Critical Writing
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2008
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Abstract (in English): 

Following the concept of "remediation" and the premise that "all of our examples of hypermediacy are characterized by this kind of borrowing, as is also ancient and modern ekphrasis" (Bolter and Grusin, 1999: 44-45), I would like to take under consideration a literary work of Portuguese poet Vasco Graça MouraGiraldomachias / Em demanda de Moura (co-author Gérard Castello-Lopes; 2000). 

The main idea is that this particular tipographic object not only illustrates the vitality and liveliness of modern ekphrasis (in this case setting up the relation between poetry and photography, these late made by the photographer which is the coauthor of the book) but for the most part underpins the concept of hypertext. My understanding of this notion is (an almost) direct result of my study, investigation and analysis of Theodor Nelson's works and thinking, especially Literary Machines (1981), to a great extent for the present book: in my perspective, this book is a hypertextual literary machine, considering that "By hypertext I simply mean non-sequential writing. A magazine layout, with sequential text and inset illustrations and boxes, is thus hypertext" (LM, 1993: 1/17).

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Scott Rettberg