From: Katharine Thayer (kthayer@pacifier.com)
Date: 09/17/01-01:50:39 PM Z
lva wrote:
>
>
> I guess that's why some of us are into art. It helps us to deal with the
> insanity all around us.
On last Tuesday, I spent the afternoon photographing a row of pears in a
kitchen windowsill as I listened to unfolding events on the radio, and
on Wednesday I made a gum print from one of those negatives. It came out
lovely, golden-brown with a soft light, peaceful and quiet, but looking
at it I was almost overwhelmed with a sense of futility and despair,
thinking that art is simply irrelevant in a situation like this, and as
such has no power to console. I said as much to a friend online, and he
replied that he couldn't disagree more strongly, and added an excerpt
from Keats, which I pass on to to all of you:
"A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
>From our dark spirits."
Katharine Thayer
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : 10/01/01-01:41:32 PM Z CST