I started the day participating in the great oral tradition of magic. I found out Cy (Cyril) Endfield was one of us. Rather, I know his work as a card-guy. I never realised he was the same guy who brought you ZULU. We card guys are everywhere.
Suddenly, I was in an exhibition at the Edinburgh printmakers workshop. The one upstairs was called Zoo and featured various prints by diverse artists showing animals. Frogs, owls, cats, rabbits. An invisible hand reached out of one frame and choked me up. It was a striking image, partly because it was the only human face amongst a room full of animals. Partly because it was wood block between photogravure and lithograph. Mostly because of the title: “The understanding that death is final.”
It sat there simple, and iconoclastic. Nestled between the photogravure of silver fish on a fishmarket stall, and a lithograph of a monkey eating a butterfly. Silently screaming.
“Be well, do good work, keep in touch.”
The day progressed, and in good company. Walking, beer, sunny pub. Dinner at a friends, wonder at mathematical principles, knitted graffiti, depth of knowledge of science fiction and music. Sharon looking through old photos of family. Passionate people…and champagne without reason. Or perhaps just ‘the understanding’.
damn, Endfield really did some living… magic teacher to Orson Welles, House Un-American Activities Commmittee victim, inventing the microwriter. pretty badass.
i really am loving this entry. the links themselves inspiring. and for some reason, i now really want to make something titled Monkey Eating a Butterfly.
thank you for that.
By: 36invisible on May 23, 2007
at 12:50 pm