Unquestionably Ellison's most beautiful book -- and the mysterious elegance of Yerka's canvases is more than matched by the author's graceful prose. In 33 stories inspired by 34 paintings, Ellison finally achieves the level of skill and inventiveness of his mentor, Jorge Luis Borges.
It is no surprise that Yerka's paintings serve as the catalyst for Ellison's lyrical imaginings. Ellison has always been a strongly visual writer; even the psychological elements of his works tend to carry a distinctly physical descriptive edge. His attraction to the comic book genre and, even more so, to film and television work testify to the hold that his mind's eye has on his muse.
Yerka's surrealism, then, was simply made for Ellison's sharp lyricism. It is best demonstrated here in "Twilight in the Cupboard," "Susan" and "Base," but it's plainly, beautifully evident on virtually every page of Mind Fields. A stunning achievement.
Note: Yerka's biography and a selection of prints and posters are available from Morpheus Gallery.
