mercredi 4 avril 2012

Les amants

Les tableaux métaphysiques de Giorgio de Chirico ne sont pas immédiatement « lisibles » et ne s'adressent pas personnellement au spectateur comme le font ceux de Magritte, à mon sens.

Chacun, pour peu qu'il ait un peu de curiosité et d'imagination, est capable d'essayer de comprendre ce qui lui est présenté comme une interrogation.

Ce tableau de 1928, Les Amants, suscite bien sûr le questionnement. Le titre même que lui a donné Magritte est anodin comme pour toutes ses autres peintures, cela fait partie du jeu. 

Here is a possible interpretation of the painting (a variant of it as a matter of fact) which does'nt say much in my opinion.

I would have chosen "la honte" ou bien "Le zéro et l'infini", (Darkness at noon, in French for whatever reason).

A Schopenhauerian reading is obvious to me. But Charles Sanders Peirce, the American philosopher, may also be of some help, be it only because he once wrote: The entire universe is perfused with signs, if it is not composed exclusively of signs.

Will you play the game, be it only in petto ?

13 commentaires:

Anonyme a dit…

So sad this painting. A man and a woman together, but both blind and without any real passion or love.

Last Friday my ex husband took a shotgun and blew his head off. I discovered him (had to break a window)... it was gruesome..

I'm in a state of feeling numb, sad, overwhelmed... so very strange to see this topic...

Flocon a dit…

This is a terrible thing that happened to you Anijo! The nature of the relationship you had with this man in the first place and also how much alive said relationship still was.

But the ugliest part of it must have been that you were the one who nearly eye witnessed the outcome of the tragedy after you had to break in the house. You probably had some idea something was going wrong and now you have a cerain image which is carved in your mind for the rest of your life.

Yes, this is all very strange that I came out with this post which I thought was meant to deal with sight (the blind lovers!) and the existence of the world, and of course I had no idea it could relate in anyway to anybody's experience but mine. And see...

Even stranger is that a former girl friend of mine jumped through her window from the seventh floor 20 years ago with her two year old baby girl in her arms...

I didn't see anything, not being around but the image of the scene that I can imagine regularly comes to my mind. And the very same night, my brother attempted suicide (though I couldn't care less but yet).

You may have heard of this Jungian concept of synchronicity which may not explain anything but nonetheless suggests there exists another dimension to the world than the one we're used to.

And I have a feeling this coincidence between what happened to you last Friday and the choice of this mute post (so to say) isn't unsignificant.

Now, here at the limits of the possibility and reach of words to express feelings which pertain to a universe too personal to communicate and share.

As J. Lennon would sing :

Hold on Anijo, Anijo hold on, it's gonna be alright, you're gonna win the fight...

Anonyme a dit…

Thank you for your gentle and caring response Flocon. It was spiritually helpful to read your link re synchronicity and to listen to the song you selected.

Love,
Anijo

Anonyme a dit…

The entire universe is perfused with signs, if it is not composed exclusively of signs.

I'm feeling this way, yes....

Ned Ludd a dit…

Anijo, my greatest sympathy, but there is no way I can think of to adequately express my distress over what happened.

To Semper Fi, my father died at a ripe old age last year of a long illness and having been a marine in WWII, he had right to a military ceremony and a grave in the new military cemetery in the new space in San Diego.

The officer in charge of the detail gave my mother the flag and said some words that sounded very sincere. Being next to my mother, I probably heard him better than she did, though he spoke very low.

After the ceremony I tried to get near some of the young marines who carried it out and fired the salute. I wanted to ask them what they thought of when burying an old veteran. But I couldn't approach them. Maybe you can give me a clue as to what goes through their, or your, minds at such a time.

Finally, according to my sister who was perhaps the last person to talk to him, he told her, "It's time for me to go." Lucid to the end.

Anonyme a dit…

Thank you Ned.

I remember you asking Semperfi this question before. It must important to you. Hopefully he's around to respond.

Anonyme a dit…

Anijo: I read your post two days ago and had an immediate sympathetic impulse to respond. But I decided to reflect for a time so that I could offer something more thoughtful.

I have had two close encounters with suicide. Both led to a period of self-examination and self-reproach. I eventually came to understand that there was no sign given to me which would have allowed intervention on my part. I was not responsible. Sadness was called for. But not remorse.

I am confident that this conclusion applies to you as well. So don't fight the sadness.

Sadness, in my view, need not mar our enjoyment of the many honest pleasures given to us every day. My hope is that you will take special notice of these pleasures over the next few days. We have much to be happy about.

Ned - I have been the officer in charge of many funeral details. I would enjoy telling you about the experience. Back after the Holidays.

Sincerely,
SemperFidelis

Anonyme a dit…

Hi SemperFi,
Thank you for your words of wisdom and solace. There were signs, but I didn't think the signs were signs of something as drastic as suicide.
And yes, I am attempting to enjoy all of the pleasures here in this sweet old world.

Seems that this thread has brought up some sad memories for all of us. And yet, life goes on.

Again, thank you.

I have returned to read the comments on this thread many times to find some comfort.

Thank you Flocon, SemperFi and Ned.

Love
Anijo

Flocon a dit…

Anijo, I remember you already linked to this harrowing song once and it looks like Lucida williams experienced something similar to you someday, unless she's a just a very sensitive person.

I went on Wiki to read about her and it says (on the French wiki, not on the English one so I don't know how reliable is the Fr wiki on that) that she refused the pledge of allegiance when she was 17 etc. (see by yourself if you're interested).

Now, isn't it nearly the same path Jessica "who ?" (the one who's a member of the rally for reason Ned linked to the other day) followed 30 years later?

Aren't these connections kind of bizarre starting with this post, picture and title altogether?

Hmm.. . the older I grow it seems the more I suspect there's more than meets the eye (re the blind lovers whose eyes are covered) on earth (but no God or ultimate creator though).

If philosophy can't really help in these circumstances, buddhism (which isn't a religion) may be helpful.

Anonyme a dit…

the older I grow it seems the more I suspect there's more than meets the eye (re the blind lovers whose eyes are covered) on earth

Yes, there is a lot about this earth and universe and consciousness that humankind does not understand. I believe I know what you're getting at Flocon, and I feel the same way.

Ned Ludd a dit…

Anijo, for a better idea of how much we understand about the earth and the universe, watch this lecture by Lawrence Krauss.

A Universe from Nothing

As to consciousness, you will have to consult someone else. I posted links earlier for Flocon. My preference is B.F. Skinner, which if you want more references I can easily give. For a philosophical and sociologist explanation, I rather agree with Herbert Marcuse.

Anonyme a dit…

Thank you Ned. Familiar with all of the sources that you have referred to. In the mood to melt into some Buddhism.

Anonyme a dit…

Keep a fire for the human race... don't let the uncertainty turn you around