 |
| "Nijinsky? 1912?" unfinished plaster cast & shadow |
"To express a movement in all its character and truth, it is
important that it be at once the result of the successive moments that
have preceeded the moment that one has fixed, and that it announces the
sensation of those that will follow." Auguste Rodin 1911
The above quote was taken from an interview with sculptor Auguste Rodin in 1911. I encountered it during a visit to the "Rodin and Dance: The Essence of Movement" exhibition at the Courtauld Institute in London.
 |
| Rodin clay piece, an impression |
His words have stayed with me since then. I've been fascinated with the universal nature of the artist's instruction. It has commonality with Sean Scully's description of abstract art. But also with the traditional 'living line' teachings in Japanese calligraphy. There are also similarities, I feel, with the concept of Quantum Entanglement. Or even in Buddhist teachings, where the concept of past, present and future dynamically merges into one great pulsating singular point of Now. Chop wood and dance!
Wouldn't it be wonderful if someday in the future, they discovered that the marks of an artist do actually move - on an atomic level, after being fixed into position. So much to think about. If you are able to see the show, do go, as it's quite beautiful and rich with inspiration. I could have stayed there for days, happily working in my sketchbook. Click here to learn more from the Courtauld website..
