Choosing a calendar is a very serious business for me. Every year I go to all the bookshops in Nelson, and in Wellington if I have a chance, starting around late August. I grunt and mumble and pace and compare. Over about three months.This year, I did it in one day; well, in less than an hour, this afternoon. I was shocked that the shortlist consisted of William Morris wallpapers, Van Gogh, and Rothko, the last two having been my least favorite artists for most of my life. It's because of Simon Schama's BBC series, Power of Art, that I even looked at Van Gogh. And as for Rothko, I don't really know what to think.
I sat in a chair at Page and Blackmore at approximately 3.15PM, having narrowed down my choices to these three, and slowly took off my old lady glasses and glued my nose to the dusty cling film on the calendars to have a closer look. (It's been dry and windy for over a week here.)
William Morris would have been my natural choice; the curves and shapes can be translated into textiles easily, and I find the Arts and Crafts movement very pleasant and non-threatening, things you want to live with. Van Gogh, I must say I became more interested in the man rather than his art, but for the first time in my life, I wanted to have a look at his paintings. Kind of. I still find his paintings raw and troubling, and I don't like being threatened by art, I want to be pleased.
Mark Rothko. Well, I used to think he was a graphic designer that somehow made it big, no puns intended. I used to think his art made nice postcards and wrapping paper, and maybe even good book designs, but I never took him seriously. Of course, in his case, size matters, and my calendar is your normal big calendar, so I'm not sure how authentic my experiences will be. But the colors are scintillating, tantalizing and complex, and there are lots of oranges and dark reds that I'm want to study.
I had to sit a while longer and take in this strange experience, that I made the decision to spend my year with Rothko, AND was actually looking forward to it.
It's after nearly 9PM, and considering I've been up since 3AM this morning, I think I'm allowed to post a batty picture. There you have it; over and out.
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4 complaints:
...I don't like being threatened by art, I want to be pleased
I feel EXACTLY the same way. I would so suck as a critic that I would be tarred and feathered. I also prefer happy endings in books and movies, and even music too.
(sorry not to have been around lately. life has been seriously crimping my blogging time recently.)
And I never thought Rothko would please me, but there you go. The benefit of aging, perhaps; I'm ready to change my mind and say so easily. But staring at the photos in the calendar, I can sense how different the experience could be standing in front of his HUGE paintings.
Man, you know so much about so much Meg. Anyway, I quite like your batty photo. I'm amazed you spend so much time choosing a calendar though! Still, that just goes to show how interesting you are =)
And now I know at least ONE of Rothko's paintings - so thank you Meg =)
Yip, and 11 more for you to check out in the stash room, Kath.
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