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May 01, 2009
The mysterious case of the disappearing picture
Well, here I am again, all dusted down and shiny bright after recent exertions. And on one of these, i came across a zen painting kit.
It all starts out normally enough. You settle down, gather yourself and then dip your brush into the water. You then paint onto the board provided. You do your best, and it's all quite exciting to see what you create; only it then starts to fade as the board dries, finally disappearing completely. 'Sacre bleu!' you exclaim. So then you settle again, dip the brush in the water, and paint something else, which will also shortly disappear.
It's all about the impermanence of life; about drawing us into the flux of things coming, and then things going. So whether we imagine our picture to be a good picture or a bad picture is of no great consequence - for it is passing; and whether we drew on feelings of despair or happiness, again it doesn't matter; for these are impermanent states. As the board dries, and our picture fades, we just breathe them away.
It's a masterpiece in letting go.
P.S. I'd like to give this kit to some modern artists, because I feel that much of their work would benefit from disappearing. But they'd probably just turn it into a trendy 'installation', and after a feted season at the Tate, sell it to some rich doughnut for £1 million.
Posted by Mr Bojangles at May 1, 2009 08:43 AM
Comments
reassuring that that brilliant background never fades Mr Bojangles
Posted by: rose at May 1, 2009 10:16 AM