Monday, February 13, 2012

A good day for contemplation

A good day for contemplation by Sol Lang
A good day for contemplation, a photo by Sol Lang on Flickr.

As I look out my window and see the snow laden branches sagging from the weight of the snow, I think to myself “What a beautiful scene!” It is a good day to stay home from work, snuggle up by a warm fireplace, read a book and relax. But I am an artist. There is no time off for art. I think “art” all the time. Every observation is material for artistic expression. So what does all this have to do with the photograph I present here of Milena? Perhaps nothing, unless I compare the cold world outside with the warmth that is obviously expressed in this image. Why can this unfortunate world have such contrasts? Can our human condition possibly be expressed in a single work of art? It is not likely. But looking at this image, in the context of this day and my place and time within this universe, I am compelled to see beyond the beauty of Milena, as she reclines comfortably and provocatively on a couch with the warm glow cast upon her skin from the lamp behind her. I am forced to think of a world of contrasts, where somewhere there is a homeless person, sleeping outdoors, trying to keep warm by covering himself with a blanket of corrugated boxes covered and soaked by the wet snow. Suddenly I am overwhelmed with a feeling of sadness. Not just for the homeless person, but for all the misfortunes that exist in this world. Art can do that. It can trigger thoughts, not only in a direct, literal sense, but also an indirect implied sense. Contrasts at work.

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This session was not recorded in film, but you can view some of my other sessions on my site.