We all need a “visual detox” from time to time, to cleanse our eyes (and our minds and souls) from the overwhelming visual noise and clutter we encounter both in real life and all over the internet.
This is what this program is for. It is based on Rainer Maria Rilke’s “Letters on Cézanne”, one of the most powerful and transformative encounters between painting and literature in the history of Western civilization.
In one letter, Rilke describes the experience of “suddenly having the right eyes”, and one can see, letter after letter, how his worldview and his writing are being transformed by this new way of seeing. This program is designed to re-create this experience.
Rilke writes about painting, but, as far as I know, there are no illustrated editions, which would combine words and paintings within the same space. This is what I have done in this program.
It is a seven-weeks series of short daily e-mails: quotes from the letters (some shorter, some longer), reproductions of paintings Rilke writes about (sometimes it takes four or five paintings to illustrate a single sentence), plus, when needed, explanatory notes and suggestions of “seeing practices” to take with you into your day.
The first, pilot run of the program is scheduled so that you right before the winter celebrations roll in. This idea was inspired by Jenny Anderson’s Manifesto for Circular (and even Regenerative) Christmas on Medium. How can we preserve the Christmas spirit of giving without depleting our planet’s resources even further, and even perhaps replenish them in the process? Specifically, what can I do?
So here is a regenerative gift across time and space from Rainer Maria Rilke, and Paul Cézanne, and Vincent van Gogh, and other artists Rilke writes about (and a bit from me), for everyone who cares to receive it. Just sign up using the form below, and the first e-mail will be in your inbox on Sunday, November 5 and the last, on Saturday, December 23. Seven weeks of powerful words and majestic paintings.
The more of us have the right eyes to see the beauty of the world, the more beautiful and regenerative it will grow. Human spirit: a resource more boundless than the sea; the more you give, the more you have.
But before you sign up: I know how full and cluttered our inboxes now are (in fact, the gift I intend to give myself in the coming weeks is massive unsubscribing from various lists, even good ones). The last thing I want with this program is to add to this clutter. It only makes sense to sign up if you can commit to opening these e-mails, and giving each at least five minutes of your time. That said, here is the form:
(You will shortly receive an e-mail with confirmation link. Please click to confirm, and see you on the other side).