C. A. Bridges: I love Edward Gorey’s theory of art: “Art…is presumably about some certain thing, but is really always about something else, and it’s no good having one without the other, because if you just have the something it is boring and if you just have the something else it’s irritating.”

I love Edward Gorey’s theory of art: “Art…is presumably about some certain thing, but is really always about something else, and it’s no good having one without the other, because if you just have the something it is boring and if you just have the something else it’s irritating.”

Finally reading “Born to Be Posthumous” and ran across Gorey’s theory in a letter to Peter F. Neumeyer.

Yes, I am currently on a Gorey jag where I go back and reread all the books I have and look for more. It happens periodically. This time I’m letting myself sink into all the books about him.

Never thought there might be a Gorey bio -- thanks for the news.

There are several! Here’s just the ones I have, aside from the one I’m reading now. And there are at least three more I want. But “Born to Be Posthumous” is a true biography and extremely thorough.

Holy cow, I had no idea!

One of those focuses on his art, another is a collection of interviews he’s done, and “Elephant House” is about his house and the weird and wondrous things therein. There are also books about his plays, a book about the buttons he made for them, a book collecting his correspondence…

Ok, now I remember the Elephant House book, but the others are new to me. Plays? I knew abt Dracula but that's all.

this is such a fine book Dery got some incredible interviews with Gorey’s friends!

I’m really enjoying it, but I didn’t know he was going to analyze every single book, in order. It’s fascinating but this might take awhile…

adding this to the list. thank you for sharing!

This definition works for so many things, too. Just beautiful.

That guy.

That's just some preplatonic philosophy you can catch from Iamblichus: (1) something good in itself, like pleasure, (2) something good for something else, e.g money, power, fame, etc. and (3) something both good in itself and useful for other things - wisdom. It's also in The Republic, I think.

So, applied to art, if a work of art is merely nice to look at then it's boring. If it's got a political message but is not enjoyable then it's irritating. The ideal is both enjoyable and edifying.

Sure. But Gorey’s version is catchier.

📌

my ex just wrote a fun personal essay about him: edwardgorey.org/gorey-dad-me/

Gorey, Dad and Meedwardgorey.org Gorey, Dad and Me Max Mosher is a communications professional and writer. His work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, The National Post, The Town, and The UTNE Reader, among other ...