 Natalie Books, Skies, Colours, STARS And Time will have his fancy To-morrow or to-day icon : violetbirdy |
And this is the wonder
Tuesday, August 6, 2013 @ 2:54 PM |
comment (0) Wow. Okay it's been a long time since I've been back here, but life's been so full lately. Sometimes I just want to spread my arms out and give this crazy, heart-breaking, beautiful world of ours a big hug. School's starting soon, and I don't even know if I'll even get all the modules I want, but sheet I'm excited for school now. I can't wait to start learning intellectually stimulating things again, not that I particularly look forward to the mandatory participation in 'class discussion', but it's just exciting to meet new ideas again. It's been 8 months since touching anything remotely academic, I just pray that my brain will be able to go back on track and that I'll love to keep on learning. In other news, i.e. friends, I'm really glad A asked me to go for CSS camp. It came at a point in time when I was deciding between unis and I was asking the Lord to show me a clearer path (haha) when the whole css business came up and more or less sealed the deal. And I'm glad I eventually made my decision, and I won't look back. People are nice I guess, but I'm still toeing the line between acquaintanceship and friendship which feels funny. Went to Chinatown yesterday on a food trail, and it was a lot of fun, I haven't laughed so much in ages with so many people and it felt good. I miss going out for lunches/ late dinners with friends and laughing my head off now that everyone's so busy with school and travelling and settling in, but I'm just thankful that I still get the chance to do that even if it's with a different group of people. Someone once commented that I'm very easily tickled, and I guess it's true haha sometimes as I mentioned above, the world is so heart-breakingly incredible, it comes with it's own weird mix of tragedy and comedy. Life is a tragi-comedy; you win some, you lose some. And that's the wonder of it all. I'll never fully understand people, reading the news about someone else's misery caused by another person pains me, but at the same time, even as the hurt goes on, somewhere farther out is a group of people so joyful that momentary thoughts of agony are eclipsed by the fullness of that joy. Eh. I don't really know where I'm going with this train of thought. But anyway, the world is awesome and it hits me at odd moments of the day that I'm glad to be part of this crazy mess. 
The painting above should be much bigger, but anyway, it's one of my new favourite paintings after Klimt's The Kiss, and Munch's The Scream. I'm a sucker for dramatic images and this one from the Liechtenstein collection (now exhibiting at the National Museum) sure planted a blow. It's 2m and 37 cm, taller than the average onlooker and larger than life. It's called Vengeance is Sworn (Il Consiglio alla Vendetta) by Francesco Hayez, c.1851, Oil on Canvas.
The painting is part of a triptych based on a story Hayez wrote, in which at a Venetian party Rachel is telling Maria that Maria's lover cheated on her, and the expression of Maria's face is totally 'bitch please'. Hahaha, Deb and I stood there laughing at the painting for a long while thereafter.
Everything on the painting is so carefully staged that I fell in love with it. From the the wisp of a veil that still trails the air because Maria turned her head, to the luxurious sheen of satin at her hips, to the warning arm that blocks any attempts of the other lady to get any closer, and the haughty indignant, expression of fury on her face. And then there is the mask that hides the expression and identity of the lady we must know as Rachel. The sweet innocence of the pastoral, flowery print on her dress and the requisite note clutched in her hands. Does she bring the news as a friend or foe? And in the background, the stillness of everything, the hard rigid lines of marble steps and geometric arch contrasting with the soft fabric of their dresses. The windows are flung open, the scarf carelessly draped over the balcony. It is a semi-public sphere. Yet no one else intrudes on the scene; no one but the viewer is made privy to this exchange. It's powerful and mysterious and beautiful and dramatic and true.
What is life after all, but roles we try to script ourselves into?
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