The Part of Art
What part does art play in solving the quantum equations of the next human leap into a kinder destiny?
Idyll # 1
I wanted to tell you about the kilim exhibit. Some years ago in the De Young, I think. I wandered through the immense marbled halls hung with remarkable kilim or ‘Turkish rugs.’ The work, the dedication. They were beautiful. They were compelling. Their symmetry spoke of a holy determination to honor God. Everything had to be tended — the sheep, the thread, the dyes, the wood of the loom. The apprentice becomes the master. How many moons rose gold and set silver? The songs chanted. The water fetched in a battered wooden bucket after morning prayers. The rugs appeared in a powerful and obedient symmetry.
There were rugs more than 700 years old. Some men worked on cathedrals. Some men worked on kilim. Honor was paid to the Creator.
After more than an hour of rapt contemplation, I came around a corner and saw yet another kilim. It hit me with such a shock, like I’d been struck by lightning — seared like that. From the 14th century, there like a message straight to the secret center of my heart was this magical, astonishing, asymmetric kilim. It was wildly celebratory, and broke all the rules. I felt a surge of joy so deep and fierce I wasn’t sure I could live past that very moment. Yes, oh yes, one could be different. I was not ever completely alone again. He dared. I dared. As long as we sought as much beauty as we could stand, it was wonderful. Tears just ran silently down my face in greeting, in gladness. People swarmed thru the galleries, but somehow I was alone around this corner as if the universe wanted to grant me this special audience with this kindred spirit from the deep past.
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Addendum tothe Part of Art
I should add a sentence or two about the symmetry vs asymmetry.
The key is that all of the other kilim or rugs “appeared in a powerful and obedient symmetry.”
'My' kilim, on the other hand, was “magically & astonishingly asymmetric kilim. It was wildly celebratory, and broke all the rules.”
The symmetry of the others was a visible & outward & deliberate & expected sign of the obedience to God, presumably Allah. The exquisite and intricate care taken to have the left side mirror the right side and the top mirror the bottom was part of the woven reverence itself. This as the way it was done.
And all the symmetry was either completely or very abstract & symbolic, also part of not daring to suggest any imitation of God Allah.
Whoever this other weaver was, s/he wove a scene which would be quirky avant garde genius even today. It had bold birds and vines, not photographic, but filled with juice and mischief and coyness and just verve. It was sophisticated, funny, brilliantly wrought and utterly against the tide of the time. Dangerously so probably.
Having never myself danced to my time's tune, I felt this savage sudden kinship with a fellow spirit across the centuries. It fortified me and gleed me too in my quest for the grail of untamed truth.…………….<^>……………..
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Mr. Pogblog,
could you tell me how this one was different from the others? I don't know which one you're refering to and despite t the miracle of the web or is it the world wide weave, I doubt that I'll come across a catalog for the DeYoung's past shows.
thanks.
your fan
Chancelucky
Thanks, for asking, chancelucky — I'll beef up that part of the piece. I knew last night I should add a sentence or two about the symmetry vs asymmetry.
The key is that all of the other kilim or rugs “appeared in a powerful and obedient symmetry.”
'My' kilim, on the other hand, was “magically & astonishingly asymmetric kilim. It was wildly celebratory, and broke all the rules.”
The symmetry of the others was a visible & outward & deliberate & expected sign of the obedience to God, presumably Allah. The exquisite and intricate care taken to have the left side mirror the right side and the top mirror the bottom was part of the woven reverence itself. This as the way it was done.
And all the symmetry was either completely or very abstract & symbolic, also part of not daring to suggest any imitation of God Allah.
Whoever this other weaver was, s/he wove a scene which would be quirky avant garde genius even today. It had bold birds and vines, not photographic, but filled with juice and mischief and coyness and just verve. It was sophisticated, funny, brilliantly wrought and utterly against the tide of the time. Dangerously so probably.
Having never myself danced to my time's tune, I felt this savage sudden kinship with a fellow spirit across the centuries. It fortified me and gleed me too in my quest for the grail of untamed truth.