David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


10 May 2020

re. pointing at a painting


TAR at The Death of Stalin (2017) :

Khrushchev and Svetlana Stalina are talking in Joseph Stalin’s dacha office. Stalin lies unconscious in the bedroom next door.

Mikoyan rushes in :  'I’m sorry . Quick. The boss is back.'

(All three hurry back to Stalin. The committee members are gathered around his bed.)

Kaganovich : 'A miracle! Stalin is invincible!'

Malenkov : 'The Man Of Steel! He lives!'

Mikoyan : 'The force has sent death back to the salt mine.'

Beria rushes in, confused and concerned at this further turn of events : 'What’s  happening? This is impossible.... and... wonderful...'

Stalin gestures with his finger.


Khrushchev : 'He’s pointing. What is it chief?'

Mikoyan : 'Maybe he’s appointing his successor.'

Khrushchev : 'Do you think?'

Stalin's finger shakily passes across all the committee members then stops, points to Matryona his longtime maid.

Mikoyan : 'Maybe not.'

Stalin points past her. 


TAR : 'The painting. It’s the painting. He’s pointing to the painting.'


Malenkov : 'Hold on. You know what he’s saying. He’s saying, he is saying "I am the lamb. I am the lamb and you, my children, have given me life."'

Matryona : 'Yes!'

Mikoyan : 'Or.... Or the lamb is the people and the milk is Socialism.'

Malenkov : 'Maybe he’s the milk?'

Mikoyan to Malenkov  : 'Maybe you’re the tit.'

Bulganin : 'Maybe he just wants a drink...'

TAR : murmur of general agreement  

Mikoyan shouts a summons : 'Ah, milk here!'

Bulganin : 'Not milk, water. Water.'

Mikoyan : 'Water. Not in a horn, in a glass.'


Theatre of the Actors of Regard   
 detail
 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
 someone looks at something...
  
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