Shine on

Tuesday September 21st, 2010
Today I wrote a song called ‘Shine On’ inspired by a presentation given last night by Leonid, about his life and work. He grew up in a remote, mountainous region of Russia, where the challenge of survival encourages saving and re-using all materials, not wasting anything. He created a series of works using bits of fabric and buttons from old clothing his mother had saved – and the works were so beautiful! It made me sad to think of how wasteful we have become in this era of mass production, mass consumption, and planned obsolescence.

Here are the notes I took during Leonid’s talk:

“an artist arrives in this world to admire it

it is a tremble and joy

to be part of this infinite universe

a little bit scaring

working with light

an actual substance

and salt, and bundles of fabric

old clothes hanging down in strips

and the faces too far away to remember

when scared, the soul goes to the hell for escape

like in Russian fairly tales

no throw out buttons

no throw away old clothes

comic books and doctor degree make philosophical creatures like dabloids one head one foot or a stomach and how stomachs lay eggs under cover of night and plant flags to stake claims

also many books about deep sea divers

significance of light

inside is soul, we wear our skins like deep sea divers wear diving suits, not permanent

I grateful for scientist explain me how world fragile”

And here’s the song:

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