“Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides.”
Junichiro Tanizaki
I like the way this quote asks us to consider not only the thing, but its expression in other forms. That the solidity of something is wonderful in it own right; but it's temporary and ethereal other self or selves is/are also worthy of time spent and contemplation.
I think a lot of artists are distracted by the shadows, by the way the light plays, by how things create these other projections of themselves that can intrigue and fascinate.
Sometimes the projected image is an enlargement, a gross over-representtion of the thing; other times it is diminutive and as if the thing had been subtracted from itself somehow.
And sometimes just because a shadow is the single colour - grey-black, a silhouette without texture, colour or detail, it produces anther representation, a truer or simpler form.
I do love shadows and I'm sure I'm not alone!
Junichiro Tanizaki
I like the way this quote asks us to consider not only the thing, but its expression in other forms. That the solidity of something is wonderful in it own right; but it's temporary and ethereal other self or selves is/are also worthy of time spent and contemplation.
I think a lot of artists are distracted by the shadows, by the way the light plays, by how things create these other projections of themselves that can intrigue and fascinate.
Sometimes the projected image is an enlargement, a gross over-representtion of the thing; other times it is diminutive and as if the thing had been subtracted from itself somehow.
And sometimes just because a shadow is the single colour - grey-black, a silhouette without texture, colour or detail, it produces anther representation, a truer or simpler form.
I do love shadows and I'm sure I'm not alone!
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| ©2013 Fiona Dempster - Feather Dance, Canberra |
I am a fellow shadow lover - wonderful post Fiona. There is always so much more to be seen than just the object one looks at .... shadows, textures, patterns and so forth ..... the sum of which is always much more interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt's so easy to be distracted by the shadows isn't it? They are so remarkable and so beautiful and so much more in a way than the object is sometimes.
DeleteF- love that floating feather and the shadow it casts that tethers it. B
ReplyDeleteWhat a moment to catch hey? I love the way you describe it as tethered - perfect!
Deleteam a fellow shadow lover - wonderful post Fiona.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much - shadows are great aren't they?
Delete'In Praise of Shadows' is such a revealing book, it opens our eyes to the riches of darkness and the beauty of the emerging spots of light. Our western culture is probably too object-oriented, matter-oriented, to appreciate the subtlety of shadows. How wonderful that you wrote about this here, Fiona!
ReplyDeleteIndeed Ersi - a dear friend gave me this book years ago and I am in awe of the approach to shadows...I love it! And then I just look around at my daily shadows and think, they aren't anything special - yet they are as well! Glad you enjoyed, go well.
DeleteI can get lost in shadows and stare for hours. I particularly love to see moving shadows with light playing though them. Wonderful words Fiona.
ReplyDeleteAh Lesley - I understand those tantalising distraction moments - when your eyes follow the movement and the play and the dance of the shadows... always special.
DeleteShadows make you look harder and differently
ReplyDelete