Archery

[susanstinson]

I went to Montreal for with first time this weekend, travelling with my parents, who I love very much and see too rarely, since they live in Texas and I live in Northampton, Massachusetts. While we were there, we saw Saint Sebastian, a dvd by Fiona Tan at the museum of contemporary art. There was a big screen in a darkened room, and the side facing the entrance showed the backs of the women doing the archery, their hair and necks and clothes, with an occasional sudden profile as someone looked towards the target. This was unbelievably intense and beautiful. On the other side of the screen, we could watch their faces as each woman in a long line prepared to shoot, let the arrow go, and watched it reach the target. It was amazing. We all watched a long time.

This is how I want to approach my writing, with that kind of focus, concentration, and strong emotion, strongly controlled, with that much very specific humanity and beauty. I want to have the courage to let the arrow go and to watch where it lands, look down, and then go on.

I also loved standing across the room and watching the faces of my parents as they watched the archers. And also watching from up close as they wrote post cards, did cross word puzzles, and looked out the window of the train.

Comments

[thewindrose.livejournal.com]

You are incredibly lucky to have such a good relationship with your parents. I wish I could share art with my mother, but unfortunately it is one of many things we do not see eye to eye on.

I loved your image of approaching writing with the same focus as an archer, I find it inspirational.

[susanstinson.livejournal.com]

Thanks, thewindrose. My parents and I don't have the same taste in art (although we have certain strands of the Hank Williams - Carl Perkins - Floyd Tillman country music in common), but we've all lived long enough to try to extend ourselves in each other's directions, and that is a truly gorgeous thing.

[cluebyfourgirl.livejournal.com]

I Love That Piece. It was part of an 'artists from asian cultures in western countries' exhibit at the art gallery here.

[susanstinson.livejournal.com]

Oh, you've seen it! Isn't it amazing?

[rednfiery.livejournal.com]

when i was in 2nd or 3rd grade, we lived at oscoda air force base near lake huron in michigan. all my parents' friends did archery -- lessons, tournaments, even deer hunting(!). we took lessons while we lived there, which i really enjoyed. your description of the women in the process of making a shot made me remember how much i liked the slow-mo-ness of archery. such concentration.

a vivid archery memory (impression?) from that time in my life: the day after tournaments or for-fun archery get togethers all the (novice?) archers had bruised inner elbows/forearms, from the bow string snapping against their skin when they let their shot(s) go.

sounds like an amazing exhibit.

[susanstinson.livejournal.com]

Concentration, that's it, for sure.