Looking for ‘wisdom’ in 2020, very difficult! Deadly Corona is in the lead but, here, in USA, we also have a spread of political hate which I’ve never seen before!! And how does this play into the arts? How can the Arts bring us some relief? I’ve chosen two men, in history, which we’re acquainted with by reading and art. How each has shaped our worlds.
In 2006, I visited my cousin Carmen in California. She took me to Laguna Beach to The Festival of Arts Exhibition. The Pageant, “A Passion for Art” comes to life. These famous paintings are recreated by live performers who are called Pageant Volunteers! Imagine the length of time it takes to have makeup applied, dressed in period clothing and then pose for a ‘frozen’ ten minutes while the audience observes the ‘real live’ portrait? Bravo to the “Live volunteers!” More than amazing! The Arts will always be with us! They keep us connected to our past, our roots and act as a bridge to the future. They lift our spirits!
*On another note and passion, this is the second birthday of The Daily Feels. Happy Birthday and thank you for all the monthly presentations. A grand mixture of the past, the now, glimpses of the future, the laughter, the tears, and all the storytelling. Thank you, Janis Gaudelli, and your team of workers who make all this viewing possible! Bravo!*
Being a part of The Daily Feels makes me feel like a pageant volunteer. No, we don’t assume a frozen pose but we do exhibit our written words for all to view. Some very sacred thoughts recreated into mental pictures by our pens, computers, and laptops. If you learn from our images, good. If you enjoy our writings and they make you feel great., all the better!
So it is with a painting, a famous song, a remarkable building; someone must write about each to convey the painter, the musician, and the builder’s thoughts! How else can we make known the history of each?
Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper is one of the most talked-about pieces of art. The chosen twelve and Jesus. Can you conceive this work of art with thirteen live performers reenacting the Last Supper? Not moving any part of their bodies for ten minutes? The Last Supper and its recreation has been the traditional Pageant finale since 1936. Since we are in Lent and close, in date, to The Last Supper, it’s more than appropriate to write about and share da Vinci’s painting. I want to pause here because we are in a different climate; worldwide! Annual Easter feast celebrations will be nil to none. Visiting favorite museums is out, spending time in our favorite churches for lent or Holy week scratched, almost everything is closed.
Since I am writing about da Vinci’s Christ and Disciples and the re-enactment of The Last Supper, I’m thinking about the time Jesus and his friends lived in. Our planet was not as it is today, 2020! Nor was it in the time of da Vinci! Those times were so different.
The food on the table of the Last Supper then was a bean stew, flat bread, maybe lamb, bitter herbs, fish sauce, dates, and aromatic wine. Da Vinci, being a food nutritionist, ate a very clean diet, as well! One of his kitchen notebooks revealed his food thoughts.
No modern technology then; the population depended on storytelling. Then, works of art, owned by the rich were not always appreciated. In short, it was a very small world.
Today, in the Corona era, we can’t celebrate any special suppers! We’re on constant watch with our foods; how they’re packaged, cooked, and served! Remember, Jesus broke bread with His friends and washed their feet. He reiterated, from time to time, “Be not afraid!” But today we’re scared to death to touch anyone or to move about! This ”new” virus keeps us hostage from life! At least six feet apart!!
Although we’ve come a long way since the “Last Supper” and da Vinci’s interpretation of it, we have been invaded by an unseen and unconquerable enemy. Notice his painting has the Disciples six inches apart! It’ll be interesting to see how our new age writers and artists will portray this ‘corona era’! I, for one, want to see how this period in life turns out. I do believe that God, in His boundless wisdom, will see us through; send us minds that can find a cure for this devil of a disease. But, we must not panic! We must stay calm.
Now, we’re in the longest Lent in history. So, as Easter, 2020, approaches, and we rethink yesterday’s memories of how we used to celebrate the Lenten season, Passover and yesteryear’s Easter Sunday, “Be not afraid” because He will not forget us.
Our very young will paint their new eggs with the brightest and boldest of colors; our bakeries will once again flourish with yesterday’s old recipes. Our places of worship will be renewed with a different and true meaning. As da Vinci depicted the Christ of his mind, let us be aware of the real meaning of Christ’s passion; be kind, be of service to all children and others in need. Let us all, together, recreate, a brand new world! One filled with care and kindness for one another. “Be not afraid” and may your Easter be likened to a magnificent rainbow; returning all the bright colors to your lives! May God in His infinite wisdom restore us to health and sanity.
In 2006, I never dreamt that in fourteen years, the world would be frozen in time! And longer than ten minutes! Then, the pageant was -where Art came to life- ! Now, its Corona has come to take life!
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” Leonardo da Vinci
I wonder how the great artists will paint this era we are living in now? April 2020?
We are definitely frozen in our time! A period of quarantine! I do believe that we, as a whole, have taken many things for granted. How we live on a day to day basis, where we go to pray, going away for a long weekend, visiting our dear ones who are confined, sending our children to school and just being free to move about. Now, we run off to the stores and shops and stockpile on goods; not giving thought to others and their needs.
Suddenly, life is different. How would you paint us? How will the parents of today, 2020, depict the sad happenings, to their children and grandchildren?
Nancy Fraioli is a retired Benefits Asst. from Town/Village of Harrison, NY. She’s alive and well, residing in Sarasota with her daughter and family and enjoying the Floridian lifestyle daily.
Her passions are writing, reading books of philosophy, children’s stories and poetry. Her deep love is living, learning and sharing how faith, meditation, and music guide her daily life. And she loves to lunch with the ladies!