Day 33

Day 33 – My sister put me in touch with one of her co-workers who’s husband just opened an art gallery here. I went to the opening last night and it was awesome, also great to be around lots of people speaking english and to make new friends!

The artist is Chris Johanson. I remember seeing his art instillation at Adobe Books in San Francisco, years ago. He rearranged all of the books in the entire store by color. I feel like he kinda started the trend of people doing this on their bookshelves at home. It looked incredible, but made it impossible to find the book you wanted.

Last night’s show is called Imperfect Reality with Figures and Challenging Abstraction. I felt like the title really spoke to me. Since I came here, I’ve been navigating the gap between what I thought it would be like and what it’s like. More on that later.

 

 

(images courtesy of arrestedmotion.com)

The prevalence of the color blue reminded me of something else from my writings before I decided to go to abroad.

The word “leaving” is a locution woven into my thoughts without harness of place or purpose, but I conjured pictures I’ve seen of Germans gathered around lakes and swimming. From my own travels I recalled sunbathers and picnickers lakeside in Zurich, and in the warm Parisian evenings, people carrying a blanket and bottle of wine down to  sit by the Seine. Once my husband and I clinked wine glasses and ate cherries on the river that goes through Lubjiana amid Astro-Hungarian architecture and walkways bustling with college students and young families.

I’m feeling down. I even texted my Frank, hoping he would offer to bring our dog over to cheer me up. 

He texted back, “Wow. You must be bad off. Most people would jus say, “I’m feel blue.”

Me: “What did I say?”

Frank: “Blue feeling.”

I am blue feeling. I want to be completely and constitutionally blue. Like how the Chinese ascribe red for vitality and life. Blue, cobalt or clear or powdery, or fatty, swaying itself  against a rocky Slovenian shore or dalmatian island, lapping the 2 concrete steps into the sea. You hold the rail along the first few steps then dive in both feet at once because there’s no other way.

(image courtesy danacohen)