Un Jour Francais --- Day 3/95

Walk: Legion of Honor (Intimate Impressionism),  Cafe Claude
Distance: 1 mile


French Art, French Food, Ciwt est Fatique.  A Demain....

Treasure House --- Day 3/94

Walk: Union Square, Mindful Body
Distance: 2 miles and teach yoga class

                                                            Nicholas Roerich, Himalayas, 1933, w/c


A student friend is just back in class from a trek high in the Nepal Himalayas.  At tea after class his recounting of the excursion put Ciwt in mind of the Russian artist-philosopher-mystic-anthopologist--archaeologist-artist Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947).  Roerich considered the Himalayas a symbol of humanity's hunger for transcendence through beauty and knowledge and called the range the 'Treasure House of the Spirit.'

Yoga Toes --- Day 3/93

Walk: Food, Inc., Mindful Body
Distance: 2 miles and take yoga class

Baring Vivian --- Day 3/92

Walk: Clay Theater (Finding Vivian Maier), Trader Joe's
Distance: 3 miles

Ciwt just returned from seeing a documentary about Vivian Maier, an exquisitely talented street photographer whose work was not found until after her death.  Hers was a perfect melding of eye, heart, soul, equipment.  And I might add interesting, photogenic times (basically the 50's and 60's in Chicago).  

It is a service to anyone who likes - or might come to like - photography to bring her images to the world.  One critic describes her work well:  Maier’s images are truly stunning—vivid documents of the working class that are off-the-cuff yet rigorously composed, always capturing that enigmatic bit of her subject’s soul that leaves you in spine-tingled awe. (Even her self-portraits have the feel of someone who knows the perfect moment to click the shutter.)

In this way the movie, Finding Vivian Maier is to be lauded.  It is also thought-provoking, interesting psychologically and historically among other areas.  But to Ciwt there are also disturbing questions:  the invasion of her life time of carefully guarded privacy not the least of them.

This seems to have been done in service of a (greedy) end run around the traditional art establishment.  Art that has exposure, a history is more valuable.  If it has been in museums, owned by famous people, included in art books, people and museums pay more for it.  Museums especially have to be sure they are investing their funds in established places.  A woman who died without anyone knowing anything about her or her photography, whose work was only found blindly by accident by someone bidding on unopened boxes certainly does not have that exposure. 

Except now that the person who bought those boxes has made a movie about her.  He and the gallery owners who are now selling her work and the collectors who have bought her work stand to gain enormous amounts. There are literally thousands and thousands (10,000+) of photographs, she has no heirs, etc.  

Yes, but her work truly is superior - on every level. Yes, the movie story is quite well told. Yes, but Vivian Maier was so consummately, deeply guarded and private that she insisted her door be padlocked wherever she worked as a nanny. Now - ultimately for commercial/monetary purposes - she is completely exposed.  Is this right? ethical? Ciwt is asking herself.

If readers don't go to the movie, it is worth a trip on line to Vivian Maier image sites. They are powerful, tender, soulful, beautifully composed and more.

  

  

Another Guest Contributor --- Day 3/91

Walk: Mindful Body
Distance: 10 blocks and take yoga class

Another quote that recently arrived in Ciwt's inbox is from A.A. Milne:

“Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think”.  From Christopher Robin to  Winnie the Pooh.



This is particularly dear to Ciwt because her nickname growing up was...Pooh.

Moon Language -- Day 3/90

Walk: Ft. Mason/Friends of the Library Donation, Presdio P.O. (taxes), Mindful Body, UPS
Distance: 3 miles and take yoga class

Another (see 3/82) poem Ciwt was sent recently is this one.

With that Moon Language

Admit something:

Everyone you see, you say to them,

“Love me.”

 Of course you do not do this out loud;

Otherwise,

Someone would call the cops.

Still though, think about this,

This great pull in us

To connect.

Why not become the one

Who lives with a full moon in each eye

That is always saying,

With that sweet moon

Language,

What every other eye in this world

Is dying to

Hear?

~Hafiz  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafez

Stumped Magician --- Day 3/89

Walk: No
Distance: A few blocks




Can't get it out today.

Caper Donation --- Day 3/88

Walk: Mindful Body, Town School Clothes Closet
Distance: 1.5 miles and teach yoga class



On the way to Town School Clothes Closet.  New person, please enjoy...