Art/Research International: A Transdisciplinary Journal
Volume 4 Issue 1, 2019
AN EKPHRASTIC POEM FOR PHIONA STANLEY:
CRAFTING A DIY CAMPERVAN AND CRAFTING
EMBODIED, GENDERED IDENTITY PERFORMANCES IN
A HYPER-MASCULINE ENVIRONMENT
James Burford
La Trobe University
James Burford calls the Canterbury region in Aotearoa New Zealand home. He is
currently a Lecturer in the Graduate Research School at La Trobe University,
Melbourne, Australia. Prior to his employment at La Trobe, James worked as a Lecturer
in the Faculty of Learning Sciences and Education at Thammasat University in Thailand,
as well as in the community sector as a diversity educator and youthworker. James’
research field is higher education. His scholarly attachments range from academic
writing and doctoral education, to conferences and academic mobilities. Alongside Emily
Abstract: The following is an ekphrastic review of Phiona Stanley’s article in this issue:
Crafting a DIY Campervan and Crafting Embodied, Gendered Identity Performances in
a Hyper-masculine Environment.
Keywords: review; ekphrastic poem
An Ekphrastic Poem for Phiona Stanley
433
Art/Research International: A Transdisciplinary Journal
Volume 4 Issue 1, 2019
James wrote the following poem in fits and starts over several weeks. He began
by reading Phiona Stanley’s article (2019) and sitting with the images she shared. He
started composing the poem by circling words in Phiona’s text and then transferred
these words to a document to work with. Late one night he finally committed to a poem
titled “Trying to do.”
Trying to do
What are you trying to do?
Is not a question we often ask about gender
Because the doings of gender are so carefully scripted
And not getting it ‘right’
Risks so much
You have to be
Tough as liquid nails
To live wonky
Phiona reminds us that we are
Fragile and lumbering things
Creatures-becoming
DIY projects
Some do or don't
Hanker
To be in the muck of change
Grubby and greasy
On the edge of knowing
Fitting in
Fitting out
An Ekphrastic Poem for Phiona Stanley
434
Art/Research International: A Transdisciplinary Journal
Volume 4 Issue 1, 2019
REFERENCES
Stanley, P. (2019). Crafting a DIY campervan and crafting embodied, gendered
identity performances in a hyper-masculine environment. Art/Research
International: A Transdisciplinary Journal 4(1), 351-381.
An Ekphrastic Poem for Phiona Stanley
435
