This resonated with me . My work ( wwwjanetlynch.com ) is always the result of an inescapable emotion , and like Song Dong I have an old reel to reel tape made by my brother when he was a young man , but which , since his death more than 50 years ago I have never had the courage to play .
Lately however I have made a painting , and a poem with the same title . Someone I loved .
Thank you for sharing this Janet. What a treasure to have, the reel to reel tape. I'm not sure whether I would be able to listen either if it were my sister. I've just had a good look round your website, and read out your biography to my friend who I'm with in Venice (for the Biennale) at the moment. We really enjoyed it, and looking at your wonderful art. Do you have a link to a photo of the painting you have made about your brother?
The painting can be found under ‘paintings ‘ at my web site wwwjanetlynch.com
I tried to send it to you as a response to your email but I don’t think it got through to you .Forgive my technical ineptitude ! Have a wonderful time in Venice as we did earlier this year . The Marlene Dumas and a couple of others have really stuck . The Belgian pavilion with the children still playing in such extreme circumstances, a combination of in your face film and tiny wonderfully powerful paintings . Unforgettable . Regards
Yes! I saw the Belgian pavilion: Francis Alys is one of my favourite contemporary artists. There were too many people there to be able to properly focus though sadly. Did t make it to Dumas but did see the Bruce Nauman exhibit at the Punta della Dogana. It’s a heavenly space (and another one of my fave artists).
I’ll have another look at the paintings section on your website!
Sorry , just looked at my website and that particular painting is not on it . Can I email it to you ? Can’t see a way to send you an image . Regards Janet x
Wow! Song Dong what a great story teller! Pain, loss, redemption and hope. For a second when he told his daughter there could be no third chopstick I thought he was going to relive the past trauma but no! His story is of healing, inclusion and the power of making things. Beautiful post .
Thank you for such a poignant post. I love Dong’s imagery of imprints. I often think about my relationships in terms of the imprints we make on each other as we pass through life, some beautiful and helpful, others painful and damaging.
I would have enjoyed participating in the exhibition and taking the opportunity to share something personal in a public space that I knew was impermanent. I think that’s an enticing invitation.
It brought to mind Candy Chang’s Before I Die project. Great participatory art on the theme of mortality and drawing a focus on what’s truly important to us.
Love to all who are missing someone special to them x
Yes! Candy Chang's project! Here's a link for others who haven't seen it: https://candychang.com/work/before-i-die-in-nola/ I like that idea Emma of leaving imprints on each other as we pass through life. Beautifully put.
Your post is so interesting Leila, it all makes total sense. It's all about the individual rather than the 'special' quality of the artwork: "How you experience being moved might depend on your exposure to life events, the context in which the art is displayed, your coping response in that moment, your proneness to crying and how much you notice other physical responses. These elements all contribute to one incredibly unique experience in space and time."
The same for me Billie 😉, I thought that perhaps it means I’m not asking questions that need answers when I’m viewing art, or even that I’m not noticing my reactions - (often I have a small person with me, so that is quite understandable! ).
That said, I’m always moved by poetry and music, words do move me more. ☺️
What a fascinating read and a great new art crush ❤️ I knew I was going to love it when I read the words "Some people believe that everyone has two lives, and we will die twice...".
Like Victoria, Dong's feelings towards his father brought my own feelings about my Dad come popping to the surface. We lost him back 2007 (creating my artist name "Mayfifth1935" from his date of birth) and am thankful every day for our wonderful relationship. But I was moved by Dong describing, with quiet emotion, the more complex relationship with his father and how they became reconciled when he made his father his artistic muse.
As a hyper sensitive I felt all of this deeply especially the video recording after his father passed that Dong has decided never to watch.
On a lighter note, his water calligraphy that begins to disappear before you've finished is stuff of nightmares for this artist who can think of nothing worse 😲! Great stuff xxx
Yes to all of this Jen. It especially moved me when he was talking about touching his father. When my father was in hospital in those last couple of days I held his hand like I've never held my dad's hand before.
This resonated with me . My work ( wwwjanetlynch.com ) is always the result of an inescapable emotion , and like Song Dong I have an old reel to reel tape made by my brother when he was a young man , but which , since his death more than 50 years ago I have never had the courage to play .
Lately however I have made a painting , and a poem with the same title . Someone I loved .
That old photo I found
A young man
For some reason showing a zebra skin to a horse
I try to understand
Have I missed a metaphor ?
Was it a prediction of his own early death
I have to content myself
With just not knowing .
Thank you for sharing this Janet. What a treasure to have, the reel to reel tape. I'm not sure whether I would be able to listen either if it were my sister. I've just had a good look round your website, and read out your biography to my friend who I'm with in Venice (for the Biennale) at the moment. We really enjoyed it, and looking at your wonderful art. Do you have a link to a photo of the painting you have made about your brother?
The painting can be found under ‘paintings ‘ at my web site wwwjanetlynch.com
I tried to send it to you as a response to your email but I don’t think it got through to you .Forgive my technical ineptitude ! Have a wonderful time in Venice as we did earlier this year . The Marlene Dumas and a couple of others have really stuck . The Belgian pavilion with the children still playing in such extreme circumstances, a combination of in your face film and tiny wonderfully powerful paintings . Unforgettable . Regards
Yes! I saw the Belgian pavilion: Francis Alys is one of my favourite contemporary artists. There were too many people there to be able to properly focus though sadly. Did t make it to Dumas but did see the Bruce Nauman exhibit at the Punta della Dogana. It’s a heavenly space (and another one of my fave artists).
I’ll have another look at the paintings section on your website!
Sorry , just looked at my website and that particular painting is not on it . Can I email it to you ? Can’t see a way to send you an image . Regards Janet x
Yes please Janet! victoria@thegallerycompanion.com
Wow! Song Dong what a great story teller! Pain, loss, redemption and hope. For a second when he told his daughter there could be no third chopstick I thought he was going to relive the past trauma but no! His story is of healing, inclusion and the power of making things. Beautiful post .
Thanks Jules, and welcome back to the GC fold!
Thank you for such a poignant post. I love Dong’s imagery of imprints. I often think about my relationships in terms of the imprints we make on each other as we pass through life, some beautiful and helpful, others painful and damaging.
I would have enjoyed participating in the exhibition and taking the opportunity to share something personal in a public space that I knew was impermanent. I think that’s an enticing invitation.
It brought to mind Candy Chang’s Before I Die project. Great participatory art on the theme of mortality and drawing a focus on what’s truly important to us.
Love to all who are missing someone special to them x
Yes! Candy Chang's project! Here's a link for others who haven't seen it: https://candychang.com/work/before-i-die-in-nola/ I like that idea Emma of leaving imprints on each other as we pass through life. Beautifully put.
I love your framing of Montogmerys piece as a moment of quiet contemplation, I finally got around to writing words about art and emotion and how we process it all, see the bit on quiet dialogue. :-) https://leilaainge.substack.com/p/have-you-been-moved-to-tears?sd=pf
Your post is so interesting Leila, it all makes total sense. It's all about the individual rather than the 'special' quality of the artwork: "How you experience being moved might depend on your exposure to life events, the context in which the art is displayed, your coping response in that moment, your proneness to crying and how much you notice other physical responses. These elements all contribute to one incredibly unique experience in space and time."
The same for me Billie 😉, I thought that perhaps it means I’m not asking questions that need answers when I’m viewing art, or even that I’m not noticing my reactions - (often I have a small person with me, so that is quite understandable! ).
That said, I’m always moved by poetry and music, words do move me more. ☺️
Music moves me to tears the most of all the art forms.
What a fascinating read and a great new art crush ❤️ I knew I was going to love it when I read the words "Some people believe that everyone has two lives, and we will die twice...".
Like Victoria, Dong's feelings towards his father brought my own feelings about my Dad come popping to the surface. We lost him back 2007 (creating my artist name "Mayfifth1935" from his date of birth) and am thankful every day for our wonderful relationship. But I was moved by Dong describing, with quiet emotion, the more complex relationship with his father and how they became reconciled when he made his father his artistic muse.
As a hyper sensitive I felt all of this deeply especially the video recording after his father passed that Dong has decided never to watch.
On a lighter note, his water calligraphy that begins to disappear before you've finished is stuff of nightmares for this artist who can think of nothing worse 😲! Great stuff xxx
Yes to all of this Jen. It especially moved me when he was talking about touching his father. When my father was in hospital in those last couple of days I held his hand like I've never held my dad's hand before.