April 2018 - Testament on Blake - William Blake poet artist visionary radical

For the original Finding Blake Crowdfunder campaign, James spoke with rapper and beatboxer Testament in London on his passion for Blake. We wanted to share this moment again, and posted it on the site in April. Filmed in an alleyway off Leicester Square with the sights, sounds and smells of central London in our faces, Testament’s passion for Blake and the inspiration he has gained from studying him shines through.

Praise for Finding Blake

“Excellent film showing the collaboration of craftmanship, the journey of Blake’s gravestone, and the connectedness that Blake makes us feel through his art. Very enjoyable and provocative.” — Annise Rogers, PhD English student researching William Blake’s ‘The Four Zoas’

“A curious thing happened to me after watching the ‘Finding Blake’ film – I found Blake. The next morning I went straight out and bought a book on Blake’s art. The documentary cleverly focuses on the process of making a new gravestone for Blake’s burial plot. The creative journey includes sourcing Portland stone from a deep mine, which is then prepared before it is handed over to the highly skilled craft people to carve the letters. Throughout the film scholars, priests, a rapper and therapist show us how Blake is deeply relevant in their lives and vocations. This is a film that chips away at surface concerns to reveal Blake’s soulful poetry, art and hymns. I not only found Blake, I found the Spirit of Albion.” — Mick Collins, writer, academic, occupational therapist, dream worker.

“Finding Blake is a website which stirs a genuine dialogue of vast scope around the many ways in which William Blake’s work keeps on touching the lives of a diversity of artists, thinkers and individuals.” – Adriana Díaz Enciso, author & translator

“Finding Blake is already a terrific site but it’s going to become an invaluable hub for Blakeans.” – Niall McDevitt, poet & psychogeographer

“William Blake and his visionary artistic output are very relevant today since we all need to re-connect with a deeper understanding of our imaginative power. I look forward to seeing the further developments of James’ research on this topic and to understand the current state of debate around Blake’s poetry. This is an immense field to investigate, which requires an inquisitive and sensitive eye, and I am sure that it will generate an inspiring film.” – Alessandro Rabottini, curator

How to get involved with Finding Blake

You can help us to explore and share William Blake’s relevance for today in many ways

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About This Site

Finding Blake is a space curated by a small team of creative collaborators and offered as a resource for all with an interest in William Blake. We can’t hope to pick up everything Blake-related, so please do use our Contact page to pass on any information, links and leads that you think we should add.

Site created & edited for Finding Blake by Mark Goldthorpe.
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April 2018 – Testament on Blake

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