Yesterday, Erica's blog post got me thinking. Nothing out of the ordinary in that. But it also made me remember. I remembered the first piece of art that really spoke to me--this piece. It's called Torn in Transit, by John Haberle (1890). I saw it at a local art museum, the Brandywine River Museum, when I was growing up. I didn't know much about art; I still don't. I didn't know if it was 'good' or not. But it spoke to me. Haunted me. I couldn't keep my eyes from it. I'd try to leave the room to see other paintings, but it called me back. I wanted to keep it--to own it--but alas, there were no postcards of it at the museum. And now, here it is.In Erica's post, she posed the question: Is art a conversation?
I thought of the conversation that I had with this painting, over fifteen years ago. And I thought about what I'm writing now, and I realized that this painting is there, in that writing. Not literally, of course--but the idea of why this painting fascinated me is in my writing. And yet, I didn't remember this painting at all, until I read Erica's blog post. And the best thing? This painting will be in Connecticut in the beginning of December, at the New Britain Museum of American Art. I don't have to trek back to PA. It's traveling to me. Coincidence, I think not.
Continue the conversation. What art has inspired, questioned, stretched you? Anyone want to road trip to Connecticut?
