What We Do in the Face of Venality & Incompetence
Five things that bring comfort
1.
Is all art political? I recently learned that the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art was established by the former Shah of Iran's wife, Queen Farah Pahlavi, just two years before the revolution which ushered in the hard-line regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Inside that strange and stunning building are vaults full of subversive works by artists such as Dali, Picasso, Warhol, Twombly, and Hockney. What an irony, no?
On an epically long flight back from Japan, I stumbled on the HBO documentary, “A Revolution in Canvas” about the Iranian artist Nickzad Nodjoumi, in which his daughter tries to locate missing paintings from a 1980 exhibition in Tehran, “Report on the Revolution.” I highly recommend watching this film: it’s a multi-layered story about voicing opposition, human fallibility, and an artist’s compulsivity and self-centeredness.
What are we willing to risk for the sake of our art? I could not stop thinking about this.
Of course, artists are just human beings and can throw themselves with passion into causes that turn out badly. This is what happened with Nodjoumi — he dedicated himself to overthrowing the Shah only to see his country be taken over by a restrictive fundamentalist regime.
Why do I find this story heartening?
I’m intrigued by this man and his compulsion to create art in response to the political and cultural realities that matter to him. I appreciate his dedication, vision, and constant striving even in the face of poverty and oppression. I was also touched by his loved ones, and their willingness to forgive him.
2.
Last week I needed to shift my focus from activities that were all consuming and felt like an endless, frustrating slog. Instead of digging in and working even harder, I turned away from it for a few days and got my hands dirty.
I spent this weekend putting gold leaf on the ceiling of a small entrance hall. Is it perfect? No. Was it fun? YES!
The gold leaf (not real) is incredibly thin and sticks to everything, including slightly warm fingertips. Once the glue is on and the squares have been applied, you use a soft brush to dust off the excess, and it showers you in ‘gold.’
Being showered in gold is a great antidote to feeling blue.
3.
While doing this project, I played my “chanting” playlist at high volume. Talk about leaving the moment behind and entering a whole new realm of existence.
I’m a terrible singer but get me alone, toiling away in the humidity on an art project with music blasting and you might finding me singing along at the top of my lungs. C.C. White was played on repeat.
At the risk of appearing more earthy crunchy than I actually am, this song by Jai-Jagdeesh is also one of my favorites.
Her voice! Instantly calming.
4.
Community has been my saving grace during a hectic summer. In Key West, my life has a consistent routine that supports my writing but my summers up north can be chaotic, with lots of responsibilities that are distracting.
So in May I had the idea of running a generative writing class that would meet for eight weeks straight. Together, we would discuss our challenges and work side by side, writing, on Zoom. I pitched it to GrubStreet but since it was too late for their summer session, I decided to go ahead and do it solo, even though it was pretty last minute.
If you yearn for community and stability, sometimes you must find a way to create it for yourself.
I know it’s a cliché, but what I love most about teaching is how much I learn from others. My group of eleven is wonderful, with writers at all stages of their careers who have varied insights they’re willing and eager to share. It has truly been inspiring for me.
5.
Last but not least (and to come full circle!): reading. I’m part way through the novel, The Lion Women of Teheran, written by my old friend, Marjan Kamali. It is utterly engrossing.
“More than a tale of friendship or a coming-of-age story, it’s a beautifully crafted and subtle exploration of love, family, friendship, ambition, betrayal and redemption in a socio-political powder keg . . . This finely written novel emphasizes the human experience in the face of turmoil.” Bookreporter
When Covid first descended upon us, Marjan and I were slated to do an event at the Boston Athenaeum, “Women’s Agency and the Meaning of Home: Displacement and Power During Political Turmoil.” We regrouped and did it on Zoom instead. You can watch it here.
On, on, friends.
Please click on the heart at the top of the post if you enjoyed reading. I’d love to hear from you, please leave me a comment!
I love your decision to lift yourself up in mood and energy by creating a gold leaf ceiling. Entranceways can often feel like portals to me. The idea of guests walking across your threshold to find themselves ensconced in shimmering gold shadows seems like quite a magical experience. Thanks for turning me on to C.C. White...WOW.
You did create community and stability for yourself this summer, and for a bunch of other people in the process. Thank you!