Rothko’s paintings are neither color fields nor images,- there is a mysterious thingness to them. At the same time they have a transcendental corporeality the way the light of the colors shines. At the same time, they are emotionally charged. According to his son, Mark Rothko spoke of his paintings as ‘Dramas’ which places these paintings directly in the human realm. These paintings are emotions, viewers feel joy, sometimes cry with his paintings. There exist countless interpretations of Rothko’s paintings, none are exhaustive, nor do they claim to be. Neither is this a singular attempt, rather a kind of close-up experience of his work, particularly the Seagram's Building Murals for the Restaurant the Four Seasons. Many critics have pointed out the relation to art history in Rothko’s work being one rather of a continuum rather than a break. Similarly, in relation to the Seagram’s murals relations have been drawn by several art historians to the Pompeian Murals Villa of the Mysteries as well as the Laurentian Library by Michelangelo. Mark Rothko loved and studied both while working on the Seagram’s works. Both lack Windows, that is to say, in the Laurentian Library the windows are filled or blind, leading to an interior looking space, fitting for a library. The deep reds and the continuum for red as in the murals of the Villa of the Mysteries are paralleled in the Seagram’s work. The Dyonisean Appollonean theme of the murals points as some critics have pointed out perhaps towards Bachian themes, perhaps though also towards renewal, more importantly. The tectonic relations between the murals, the library and the Seagram’s work is very beautiful and subtle. There is a kind of hint of an architecture and a breadth of space. At the same time the figures from the murals appear to be missing. This supposed ejection of the figures is often referred to as Rothko’s modernity, his point of abstraction in creating this emotional space. Could it however be, that Rothko has not ejected the figures but rather that the public of the Seagram’s restaurant has become the mural figures come alive in these wonderous ‘panels’? In doing so Rothko has transcended any and all boundaries between the painting and the viewer. This is an amazing mise en scene of any and all modern paintings and I would argue this transposition is at work in all of Rothko’s so called non - figurative work. The viewer hence becomes an actor, whether solemn or joyous, public or singular. I would never argue that Rothko is creating an architecture of feeling. Yet there is a tectonic insistence in his work, a singular center guiding much of the different paintings that when seen together could be an architectural insistence, a kind of spatial metronome, to borrow a musical term. Rothko’s love for Music is known, and it is perhaps not surprising, that in painting Rothko found the fusion of Music and Architecture, emotional spaces permeating everything, us always included.
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Corona and World Wide Solidarity
I am sorry the Corona Pandemic exists and I pray every day that it may be over soon. My thoughts are with the afflicted and the helpers. May you come out of this safely, may you be well. Every death is one too many. What is heart warming to see are the Pandemic surmounting efforts of many people, including politicians. It is good to hear that the USA has devised a 2 Billion Dollar Aid package, hopefully not only for the rich and for corporations, but for the human beings and their families struggling for their daily existence during these times of the unfortunate Pandemic. Germany has decided on a 156 Billion Aid Package and Switzerland 42 Billion Aid packet for its citizens. It is good to see large scale and small scale down to neighborhood and door to door solidarity. Disturbing however is, how the Coronavirus Pandemic has blown other areas of human suffering off of our radar. Moravia, Lesbos, the refugees at the Greek Turkish boarders, the Yemen Starvation Crisis, just to name a few collective plights and including the individual hardships of women’s rights activists in Iranian and Saudi Arabian prisons as well as the unjust incarceration of Julian Assange. When we see how quickly the rich and democratic countries can muster up tools and avenues and resources for help it is shocking to see the neglect of non-corona-virus hotspots and it shows just how quickly help could reach such areas and human beings if the humanitarian and political will would win over apathy. How much of this money would be needed to keep the Yemenees from starving, to allow refugees humane living conditions with dignity and in safety. I always knew one large concerted effort could end a food crisis for millions of human beings. And here we go, an unintended proof that this would be possible. Let us not forget the hungry, the refugees, the mothers, fathers, children and countless individuals fighting authoritarian repression world-wide. Please open your horizon, go deep with in yourself and help in the corona circle as well as ‘outside’ of it. We are all in this together, please do not allow the fork between rich and poor to open even more than it already is. It is bad enough already. One such concerted effort and the starvation in Yemen would come to an end immediately. It is possible, here is the proof, the Corona Crisis has offered inadvertently. Be well, be safe. Thank you to all helpers in time of crisis. Please do not forget 'others' in plight. Keep your minds and hearts open. Gabrielle von Bernstorff-Nahat / Switzerland Les Soleils Bleus
Dies ist ein Aufruf für die Gründung einer Partei auf europäsicher Ebene für, von und mit Flüchtlingen. Gemeinsam sind wir stark. Wir sind für die politische Representation von den Interessen von Flüchtlingen auf der europäischen Ebene ein offenes, demokratisches und humanistisches Europa nach Innen und nach Aussen die Einhaltung der Internationeln Gesetze und UN Charta für Menschenrechte besonders für Menschen auf der Flucht vor Unterdrückung, Gewalt, Krieg und Armut Frieden und für multikulturelle Gesellschaften ein miteinander der Menschen der Welt die Aufhebung der Apartheid zwischen Flüchtlingen und Nicht-Flüchtlingen den Schutz von Familien Schutz für Flüchtlinge vor Folter und Gefangenschaft eine Verbesserung der Lebenssituation für Menschen auf der Flucht und in Camps für das Bekämpfen von Armut eines jeden Menschen in und ausserhalb Europas das Erinnern dass das kulturelle Erbe Europas ohne die Welt undenkbar ist für den Schutz regionaler Vielfalt, Lebensweisen und Identitäten innerhalb und ausserhalb Europas Wir glauben and die Internationalen Gesetze und UN Chartas für Menschenrechte, wir glauben an die Demokratie und an das Projekt eines weltoffenen Europas nach Innen und nach Aussen. Die einzige Intoleranz die wir kennen ist die Intoleranz gegen Intoleranz. Wir sind gegen Abkommen mit Ländern und Geldvergabe an Länder die ein 'Fortress Europa' zur Konsequenz haben, besonders durch Folter und Gefangenschaft von Menschen Wir sind gegen EU Geldervergabe an Regierungen die Flüchtlinge abweisen Wir sind gegen eine Selektion von Flüchtlingen Wir sind gegen Gefangenschaft und Folter Wir sind gegen Intolerance Wir sind gegen Rassismus und Sexismus, wir sind gegen Diskriminierungjeglicher Art Dieser Aufruf ist offen. Wer interesse hat gemeinsam an der Gründung einer solchen Partei möge sich bitte mit uns in Verbindung setzen via dieser Homepage und via diesen Blogs www.gevebe.com - L'étranger - Les Soleils Bleus - Les Soleils Bleus ist im Plural da die Sonne die für jeden von uns scheint eine persönliche ist. Das Dublin Abkommen bedarf vieler Änderungen Es ist Zeit das es Zeit wird. Es ist Zeit für Les Soleils Bleus. Les Soleils Bleus wünscht sich eine Schweiz als Mitglied er EU. Les Soleils Bleus eine politisch kulturelle Partei für, von und mit Flüchtlingen Es ist Zeit, das es Zeit wird. Gemeinsam sind wir stark. Gabrielle von Bernstorff-Nahat und Freunde The Mediterranean Guernica of today Mediterranica 2014 to 2019 2550, 12'740, 598, 112'000 Ibrahim, Leila, Tmbeki, Mary wanted to live sons and daughters, babies brothers and sisters mothers and fathers lovers, the frightend, hungry and cold fleeing wars not of their making together with aid workers out in the wide open sea Republicans of today bringing together auch Sonne Mond und Sterne Aiding Mediterranica Your true vessels are your dreams your tears are Lilienlingen Mediterranica from now on a sea of tears you will never be the same again fortress Europe shame on you where is your heart Italy Greece Malta Spain you've been left alone May all old and neo-Franco-phones lay down their ugly heads and pray Du da Du da Afrika Du da du Da Syria forgive us Mediterranica 2014 - 2019 from the book Alicia - Mediterranica and Blütentrauer by Gabrielle von Bernstorff-Nahat 2012 - 2019 We Need a radical Humanism12 years of war against the Democracy seeking civil population in Syria. Millions of human beings fleeing Oppression, war, hunger, the loss of Civic life. The destruction of cities, of Schools, Hospitals and people's livelihoods. Then the dangerous Crossing via the Mediterranean Sea or the Baltic Route. 12 years of unseen human plight and flight world wide. There are an estimated 65 Million refugees World wide living in deplorable inhumane conditions.
It is time for a radical humanism. Just as Workers struggled for Workers Unions, refugees require political representation in the political Arena. The European Union Needs a Party for and by refugees, and should there ever be a World Government, then here as well. It is time for left and center parties who mean their humanistic aspirations to support such an effort. The European elections of the past Weekend have shown, that unfortunately the Right has gained. We do not want a Fortress Europa. The Fortress Europa must be fought. It is a crying shame that the parties in power in 2015 in Germany have been punished by voters for Opening up the borders for a Million human beings, refugees, mothers, fathers and Children. It is even more of a crying shame, that These parties have subsequently agreed to giving the Libyan Government monies to Keep refugees out of the Mediterranean Crossing and out of Europe, often under torture. This goes against Human Rights Legislation and the Constitution of the European Union, as well as against the UN Charta of Human Rights. It is also deplorable that no European political Party since 2015 dares to make the plight of refugees and the upholding of human Rights their Nr. 1 priority on their political agenda. The Reports of torture on men, women and Children in Libya, are reported on by responsible ethical journalists and NGO workers,- These torture victims carry all the signs of concentration camps. We can not say we did not know, this concerns all Europeans and human beings World wide. Es ist Zeit - das es Zeit wird. l'etranger,- this blog is a sign of the time. The time will arrive when refugees will have better representation. It is high time in the face of this 21. Century Holocaust. This then is the Mission of this blog, for a radical humanism for all refugees World wide. |
Gabrielle von Bernstorff-Nahatis a writer, poet, artist and architect. She advocates a radical humanism, a Europe open to the World and wishes for Switzerland to be a member of the European Union. Archiv
January 2021
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