SEA POPPY 1. (FISHING BOAT LETTERS AND NUMBERS). 1966

Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1966
56 x 43cm, 2pp. red on blue on white paper – a circular design made up of fishing boat numbers typographically set by Alistair Cant on Finlay’s instruction. The pattern creates both a planet or the movement in the stars as they appear to spin around the boat as night passes. Stars for boats are essential to allow passage – until modern methods of navigation they were the sailor’s only orientation. The pattern creates both a schematic planet or the perceived circular movement in the stars as they appear to spin around the boat as night passes. Stars for sailors are essential to life – until modern methods of navigation they were the only orientation available to the crew and captain of a ship.
This is the first of two large prints with a similar intent – Sea Poppy 2 being in 1968 – the other uses the the names of the boats.
The title Sea Poppy refers to the yellow hornpoppy which only grows on sea shores – again a clear nautical reference.
This design and others like it was used by Finlay in different formats including wall works, object multiples, printed posters and cards – but this printed version uses colours that are hard to see against each other – given the text is more readable in the other formats of this work it is tempting to suggest that the colour clash here was a mistake although some psychedelic designs of the late 60s did deliberately set up such colour clashes. Very slight spots in white margins else VG+. Scarce.