I've already grown a goiter from this torture, hunched up here like a cat in Lombardy (or anywhere else where the stagnant water's poison). My stomach's squashed under my chin, my beard's pointing at heaven, my brain's crushed in a casket, my breast twists like a harpy's. My brush, above me all the time, dribbles paint so my face makes a fine floor for droppings! My haunches are grinding into my guts, my poor ass strains to work as a counterweight, every gesture I make is blind and aimless. My skin hangs loose below me, my spine's all knotted from folding over itself. I'm bent taut as a Syrian bow. Because I'm stuck like this, my thoughts are crazy, perfidious tripe: anyone shoots badly through a crooked blowpipe. My painting is dead. Defend it for me, Giovanni, protect my honor. I am not in the right place—I am not a painter. -A poem by Michelangelo depicting how much he hated painting the Sistine Chapel sent to Giovanni da Pistoia in 1509.
All art is up to interpretation. You know that Poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley? Who doesn’t? It’s one of the most beautiful poems ever written. Nelson Mandela famously cites the poem as one of the main things that helped get him through his time in prison. Saying he would recite it daily. But, also, Timothy McVeigh, the terrorist responsible for the Oklahoma City Bombing before being condemned to eternal sleep via lethal injection on death row was asked for his final words… He too recited Invictus. An artist’s intentions don’t mean anything. It’s all just up to interpretation…
Quick. Take your hand, either one, it doesn’t matter. Hold it out in front of you. Now let it fall to a dead rest. It should drop at the wrist and have no tension. Your hand, completely at rest. You’ll notice a few things. First, the index finger sticks out a little bit more than the rest. Also that the other three fingers are a bit closer together. Whereas the index finger is more separated.
Now turn the hand palm up, but keep it at dead rest. The fingers naturally curl in. The thumb is probably touching the side of the index finger. Which again is slightly separated from the other fingers. The other fingers again closer together and because your hand is palm up they’re probably also touching. You can drop your hand now.
Congratulations, you’ve just received your first lesson in sleight of hand. Those two positions are the thing to mimic. If a hand is seen at a dead rest position with no tension, whether consciously or subconsciously it will be deemed an empty and innocent hand by whoever sees it.
You’ll notice hands that look like yours just did primarily in sketches and art. Often from Michaelangelo. Now take a look at the Sistine Chapel; in particular The Creation of Adam scene. You know the famous look of God and Adam reaching out. That’s how I’ve always heard it described, Adam and God reaching for each other. I don’t think that’s true.
God is reaching. But Adam’s hand is painted at a dead rest. And his arm is resting on his knee. Adam doesn’t appear to be reaching really. He’s just there, God is reaching for him. He also doesn’t seem to be looking at God. He appears to be looking to the side, past God…
Take a trip with me to Florence, Italy. Past the Riccardi Medici Palace but before San Marco Square. At the Galleria dell'Accademia you’ll find another of Michaelangelo’s most famous works. The statue of David.
As you stare in naked wonder, breathless, finally your mind steals back to you. You start to consider what it could mean. You remember the story of David and Goliath. You remember your childhood and your hardships and your triumphs. And it hits you, for some reason the statue of David is 17 feet tall. Taller than any human being is or ever has been. Why? Why would Michaelangelo sculpt the little guy to be bigger than anyone? Perhaps because it’s your turn now. It’s your turn to recognize your Goliath’s. To realize that you are David now. You’ve got to go make your stand…
Art history will give you different reasons I’m sure. But the meaning of art is up to the one who sees it. This is just how I see it. Intentions… What intentions? Why should intentions matter anyways?
OH wow... I read this as it came through my email. Diddnt see it was you.
This is great.
Keep writing your stuff man :) ! Mine you past if needed