Fascination
I have, an admittedly childish fascination for pretty things. More importantly, I have a need to touch and fondle things that interest me. I occasionally hate going to museums because I'm not allowed to fondle the sculptures and stroke the paintings, highly frustrating.
My latest obsession is this. To be specific, it's a classically styled inkwell. A couple of days ago I decided, for the sake of a larp-character to learn some basic calligraphy (because, y'know, if you play a character who has been taught the art, it might be good to actually know it). To this end I purchased a wooden calligraphy pen, black calligraphy ink, and the glass inkwell that can be seen on the picture. a planned purchase is a beginner's book on medieval calligraphy styles, but for now, let us focus on the bottle.
If I could I would explain just why I am so enamored with this ink-bottle, but I'm not quite sure. I think it has potent imagery. Whenever my eyes land on it (often) I want to pick it up and just hold it. Something about the round shape is alluring and uncorking it is just pure pleasure. Maybe I need a better hobby, am I the only one who can see the mental image of a goose feather pen (another planned purchase) being dipped in that inkwell and moved smoothly over a piece of yellowed paper?
I think touch is really important to a piece of art. It activates you and you stop being an observer and become a participator. Large museums are death, because there is not a chance that you are going to be able to take it all in just by looking. I love interactive art. I remember the last time I went to Stockholms Museum of Modern Art, they had an exhibit on contemporary set design. One of the pieces were thousands of colourful bands hung from the roof so that turned into a thick forest of sorts, and you could go into it if you wanted. It was amazing. Watching someone go in was magical. They parted the narrow bands, and once they fell in place behind them, they disappeared. Going in yourself, all you could see were the colours. You could hear everyone else, but never see them and occasionally they would spring up upon you as if from nowhere. The experience truly felt like entering a classical Magical Forest.
Sometimes I wish I could just close my eyes and put my hands on a painting. I don't want to see it. I just want to feel the structure of the canvas and the paint beneath my fingers. It tickles the fingers and soothe the mind. Art, no matter how abstract is still a concrete object that you can put into your hands and sequeeze tight.
There really is something special in good, simplistic design. I should get back into clay and sculpting again. I miss it.
My latest obsession is this. To be specific, it's a classically styled inkwell. A couple of days ago I decided, for the sake of a larp-character to learn some basic calligraphy (because, y'know, if you play a character who has been taught the art, it might be good to actually know it). To this end I purchased a wooden calligraphy pen, black calligraphy ink, and the glass inkwell that can be seen on the picture. a planned purchase is a beginner's book on medieval calligraphy styles, but for now, let us focus on the bottle.
If I could I would explain just why I am so enamored with this ink-bottle, but I'm not quite sure. I think it has potent imagery. Whenever my eyes land on it (often) I want to pick it up and just hold it. Something about the round shape is alluring and uncorking it is just pure pleasure. Maybe I need a better hobby, am I the only one who can see the mental image of a goose feather pen (another planned purchase) being dipped in that inkwell and moved smoothly over a piece of yellowed paper?
I think touch is really important to a piece of art. It activates you and you stop being an observer and become a participator. Large museums are death, because there is not a chance that you are going to be able to take it all in just by looking. I love interactive art. I remember the last time I went to Stockholms Museum of Modern Art, they had an exhibit on contemporary set design. One of the pieces were thousands of colourful bands hung from the roof so that turned into a thick forest of sorts, and you could go into it if you wanted. It was amazing. Watching someone go in was magical. They parted the narrow bands, and once they fell in place behind them, they disappeared. Going in yourself, all you could see were the colours. You could hear everyone else, but never see them and occasionally they would spring up upon you as if from nowhere. The experience truly felt like entering a classical Magical Forest.
Sometimes I wish I could just close my eyes and put my hands on a painting. I don't want to see it. I just want to feel the structure of the canvas and the paint beneath my fingers. It tickles the fingers and soothe the mind. Art, no matter how abstract is still a concrete object that you can put into your hands and sequeeze tight.
There really is something special in good, simplistic design. I should get back into clay and sculpting again. I miss it.
posted by M | 11:44 pm
4 Comments:
[Re : I should get back into clay and sculpting again. I miss it.]
You really should. You speak with such passion about it, I bet it'd be rewarding. A person can never have enough art in their lives.
Just need to find a course or an open art-studio. I used to do this back in high school, but now I don't have access to the neccesary materials and tools any longer.
"I have, an admittedly childish fascination for pretty things. More importantly, I have a need to touch and fondle things that interest me."
This is so very entertaining. Mostly because I'm very similar and can get exactly what you're talking about. That impulsive need can be extremely frustrating when not sated.
On calligraphy, it's a very refined, and suprisingly usefull skill. I'm sure as you pick up some of the basics, that handwriting of yours will drastically improve just because you'll have to dicipline yourself so much for the calligraphy.
Also, how you look at handwriting will alter as well. You can see the attention or level of effort put into any piece of writing, even your lists. Very similar to your viewing art and touching art comments, being able to look at writing and see more then the words is a truely interesting experience. (I've started using the word interesting far too often for my tastes, damn that Eurydice play. I can't get the actor and actress out of my head...)
On your hobby ideas. I think your hobby is perfectly fine. It's great to have something so simple be such an inspiration for you. As a plus, as soon as you start practicing, you'll be a 'writer' again too... I think I've been hanging around one of my friends a bit too long, his puns are starting to rub off on me and actually seem funny.
For the goose feather pen, see, something like that would make a great gift. It shows the familiarity with something you like and are passionate about. It's also not over-the-top crazy like a creepy person would give you. Like a kiln to help you rekindle your pottery.
For the yellowed paper effect, might I suggest using some high quality resume paper. Start out with something white, but make sure it's a good weighty sheet of paper. Leave it out in a corner or on a window sill for about 1.5 months. It will get a rather nice tinge to it, and the heavy paper will also make it easier for the calligraphy ink to absorb into.
On larping:
You. Kick. Ass. I honestly wish I had the time to spend on larping. Or the capabilities of buying some land and setting up my own.
On the Magical Forest color band display. That sounds incredibly interesting (damn that word again!) I honestly want to show up just for that. I would love to spend a ton of time with an exibit like that just becasue the artist did have the viewers of his work in mind. I don't know if I could create a piece of art knowing that the place of display would restrict people from getting close to it.
"There really is something special in good, simplistic design."
This is fantastic. Maybe this is why I get so many kicks out of interesting engineering designs. It really is something special.
And yes, you should get back into pottery. I fully agree with Aarin that it will be very rewarding for you.
"Maybe I need a better hobby, am I the only one who can see the mental image of a goose feather pen (another planned purchase) being dipped in that inkwell and moved smoothly over a piece of yellowed paper?"
Why does that so remind me of the opening scenes of Nineteen Eighty-Four?
DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!
Anyway, I've already said to you that I think paintings are already a imagery dialogue between artist and viewer, motion pictures a dialogue of imagery and sound, video games a dialogue that works on so many levels it hurts my mind to think of all the emergent elements.
On LARPing - I think we're approching RPGs from two entirely different angles. You're stressing the realism and the interaction and learning something like calligraphy to play them better.
I pretty much admit I'm never going to bounce around a planet-sized macro-construct in a really bouncy buggy or kick a headcrab zombie in the face, so realism can just take a hike.
But then, you probably already knew that.
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