Instead of working on my writing, I decided spontaneously to go to the National Gallery. Because it was the middle of a weekday, there was only a short queue to get in.
This is great. I also read the piece in The New Yorker and since then have been thinking about trying the art viewing practice they describe. I particularly like the aspect of it where they consciously avoid study/interpretation/judgement and just let the experience of encountering the artwork wash over them. I think you really captured that in the first half when you describe the painting.
The other thing this reminded me of is Wim Wenders' film "Wings of Desire," about angels in Berlin, and I went back and watched a few scenes and it's crazy how much resonance there is with your writing about hands. There are so many close ups of hands in this movie! In the library, on the subway, when Bruno Ganz and Peter Falk shake hands (one a current angel, the other a former angel). The only way I can describe it is to say that there is so much humanity expressed through hands and through touch in this movie, because that's the one thing angels can't do, they can't touch or feel, and that is ultimately what separates them from being human. Thank you for causing these reflections...
Came here from your tweet. Your article reminds me so much of that scene in The Grand Budapest Hotel, where the concierge and Zero talk about 'Boy with Apple', and part of that conversation is about the elegance with which the boy in the picture holds the apple. Lovely film, if you haven't watched. Haven't read Woolf yet, and your quote has me sold. Will check her out soon. Lovely post, Anna.
Thank you! The Grand Budapest Hotel is great, and I love the scenes about the painting. If you're interested, my second last post was about Wes Anderson :)
as someone who also used to spend hours at the national gallery just staring at the hands of one painting (zurbaran's saint francis in meditation) this was so lovely and attentive. thank you for sharing it! <3
This is great. I also read the piece in The New Yorker and since then have been thinking about trying the art viewing practice they describe. I particularly like the aspect of it where they consciously avoid study/interpretation/judgement and just let the experience of encountering the artwork wash over them. I think you really captured that in the first half when you describe the painting.
The other thing this reminded me of is Wim Wenders' film "Wings of Desire," about angels in Berlin, and I went back and watched a few scenes and it's crazy how much resonance there is with your writing about hands. There are so many close ups of hands in this movie! In the library, on the subway, when Bruno Ganz and Peter Falk shake hands (one a current angel, the other a former angel). The only way I can describe it is to say that there is so much humanity expressed through hands and through touch in this movie, because that's the one thing angels can't do, they can't touch or feel, and that is ultimately what separates them from being human. Thank you for causing these reflections...
Thank you! I haven't seen Wings of Desire yet, but you make it sound very appealing
Came here from your tweet. Your article reminds me so much of that scene in The Grand Budapest Hotel, where the concierge and Zero talk about 'Boy with Apple', and part of that conversation is about the elegance with which the boy in the picture holds the apple. Lovely film, if you haven't watched. Haven't read Woolf yet, and your quote has me sold. Will check her out soon. Lovely post, Anna.
Thank you! The Grand Budapest Hotel is great, and I love the scenes about the painting. If you're interested, my second last post was about Wes Anderson :)
as someone who also used to spend hours at the national gallery just staring at the hands of one painting (zurbaran's saint francis in meditation) this was so lovely and attentive. thank you for sharing it! <3