My dearest Venice Woman,
Please do not take offence
because I have made you look like a gondola pole.
Yes, I have thinned you right down and my creation is not much of a likeness,
but I wish you to comprehend what it is that I am at.
In removing the fat,
I seek to portray your fundamental core.
Not that I am saying you ARE fat.
What I want to do,
is to bring your essential self through.
A distillation is what it boils down to.
My lovely piece of spaghetti
Love, Giacometti
I saw a retrospective of Giacometti’s work at The Scottish Museum of Modern Art. I learned that at one point he destroyed almost everything he had done. This is in keeping with the figures he has left us, in which all but an essence is thrown away.
metaphorical machete
really cut his sculpted figures
down to size.
Up in Edinburgh’s Modern
you can go and see the odd’un
standing long
and very thin
around the thighs.
What a guy!
Did you know that he wanted all his girlfriends shaven headed? Why? You may ask.
Why? This was his answer:
Because hair is a lie.
I am at the Edinburgh Festivities of Summertime again. It’s an inspiring place to visit. With the crags above the City you’re reminded of just how brief and fragile are our days. People open out about the best of shows to go to and the buses you can take from George Street going up Lothian Road (11, 12, 16). Today I took the 13 to the marvellous Museum of Modern Art, where I go every year to inspect and reflect upon the permanent collection. Every year those wonderful exhibits make me vow to Wow the audience with scenery and props of great invention. There was one year, Dad, when I had one of your paintings as a backdrop and as I lugged it from the venue at the end of residing there, I felt so proud to have performed beside your bright and atmospherical depiction, even though the perspective’s a bit wrong. And, Mum, please could you knit me a long-sleeve jumper, for next year?
Love,
John